On the afternoon of the 28th. July the findings and conclusions of the conference were presented before the Home Secretaries and Director Generals of Police, after first being presented to and approved by a plenary session of all the delegates. This session was chaired by Sh. K.P Singh, Special Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs.

Shri K.P. Singh, Special Secretary (Home) MHA, noted at the outset that almost 80% of the demands raised by the 2nd National Conference for Women can be met at the level of State DsGP only and did not require any changes in laws or sanction by the Parliament. He also undertook to forward the minutes of the 2nd National Conference for Women to the various States, UTs and CPOs etc. under the auspices of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt. of India, New Delhi. The MHA would also lend its support to the recommendations while writing to the States. Funds already allotted by the 11th Finance Commission under the head “Modernisation of Police Forces”, could be utilised and additional sanctions required in some cases could be personally taken up with the Ministry of Finance by the DsGP or the state Home Departments.

During the discussions that followed, it was appreciated that the target of increasing the eventual representation of women in the various police organisations to 33% was worthy and the recommendation of the Honourable President of India that this representation be increased to 10% by 2007 was to be strived for. Some reservations about the deployment of women in extremist affected areas were expressed but these were summarily dispelled by pointing to examples of women who had performed creditably in such assignments. It was basically a question of changing of mindsets and adequate training. As times changed a definite need was being felt to post more women in police stations and recruitment and training needed to take this into account.

There was no consensus with regard to reserving vacancies for women in police. It was pointed out that this was not a recommendation of the conference, which had only asked for increased representation. Open recruitment with suitably differentiated physical criteria for women candidates could result in even higher percentages of women joining than the 33% being suggested.

Shri Kamal Kumar, Director National Police Academy, made the point that attracting more women to join was a key issue. He also undertook to compile a compendium on Good Practices in Mainstreaming Women in the Police to be issued by the NPA.

Shri H.S. Duggal, Secretary Home, Jharkhand, suggested that career planning for women in police requires attention. Jharkhand state is raising a mahila batallion and making efforts to ensure mainstreaming of women in the police.

Other important points made regarded the full utilisation of modernisation grants by the states without diverting them for other purposes. Shri N. C. Joshi, DG, BPR&D, accepted the need for networking among women in police and undertook to maintain any website that may be created for the purpose.

While the attendance in this session could have been better, it was clear that the senior officers of the States who attended had been sensitised to many of the Conference’s aims and objectives, and would ensure adequate response from their states to the initiative to be taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs. Shri K.P. Singh, Special Secretary (MHA), said in closing that the MHA would be happy to support any state that wanted to raise an India Reserve Battalion comprised exclusively of women. He mentioned how during the visit of the Union Home Secretary to Pakistan, he was provided security cover exclusively by Women Commandos of Pakistan police. It was evident that women were more trusted than men, to handle the sensitive duties. It was clear, he concluded, that there are no insurmountable difficulties in raising the number of women in the Indian police and giving them mainstream duties, only a concerted effort is required to change the system.