Chandigarh, April 17:— Chandigarh has emerged among the top three performers in India for its share of women in the police force, with women comprising 22.5% of its police personnel—almost double the national average of 12.3%, as per the India Justice Report (IJR) 2025 released yesterday.
Among the eight Union Territories, Chandigarh ranked second after Ladakh, which topped the country with 29.6% women in its police force. Among all states and UTs, Bihar stood second with 23.7%.
Per Capita Spending Tops Charts
The report, initiated by Tata Trusts, revealed that Chandigarh’s per capita police spending in 2022-23 stood at Rs 5,902—more than four times the national average of Rs 1,275. Similarly, per capita spending on the judiciary was Rs 746, far higher than the national average of Rs 182.
Policing and Judicial Gaps
While the city showed strong numbers in women representation, it continues to face staff shortages. Constable vacancies stood at 17.3%, and officer-level vacancies at 15.4%. Among officers, women made up 8.4%, aligning closely with the national average of 8%. Notably, almost 50% of SC and OBC officer posts remain vacant.
All police stations in the city are equipped with CCTV cameras, and 95% have women help desks.
Judicial Strength with Delays
Chandigarh’s district judiciary showed no judge vacancies and boasted 43.3% women judges. It also fulfilled SC and OBC quotas. However, 37.1% of the cases were pending for more than three years, highlighting delays in judicial processes.
Overcrowded Jail, Staff Shortages
Burail Model Jail reported 107% occupancy with 70% of inmates being undertrials. Officer vacancies were at 10%, while 50% of correctional staff posts were unfilled. Women constituted just 4.9% of the jail staff.
Legal Aid and Lok Adalat Success
The city had 38 paralegal volunteers, over half of whom were women. At least one legal services clinic is functional in prison, and 95% of cases received by the permanent Lok Adalat were successfully settled.
Chandigarh Led by Woman SSP
The city’s police force is headed by a woman, SSP Kanwardeep Kaur, a 2013-batch IPS officer from the Punjab cadre. She is the second woman SSP of Chandigarh, after Nilambri Vijay Jagdale, who held the post from 2017 to 2020.
Report Tracks 24-Month Trends
The fourth edition of the IJR is the result of a two-year study by a consortium of organisations including DAKSH, CHRI, TISS–Prayas and Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy. It assesses states and UTs on four justice pillars—police, judiciary, prisons, and legal aid—through metrics such as budget, diversity, workload, infrastructure, and staff strength.
