For the first time, Karnataka Lokayukta appoints four female IPS officers to senior positions

Are women IPS officers less susceptible to corruption? Well, that's one of the reasons the Karnataka Lokayukta (corruption watchdog), which is considered as one of the most active institutions in the country, has posted four female IPS officers to senior positions in its police wing.

Securing an appointment in the police wing of the Lokayukta is not an easy task. Money power, muscle power or recommendations do not work in postings of officers to the Lokayukta police wing. Officers need an impeccable service record and impressive credentials. The government, every year, recommends officers to the police wing, but it is the prerogative of the Lokayukta to select the officers.

However, this is for the first time in the history of the Lokayukta that four women IPS officers have made it to the police wing. Sonia Narang is the SP for the Patna Lokayukta police wing; Dr. M Ashwini is the SP for the Patna Rural district Lokayukta police wing; K.P. Anjali heads the Petition Inquiry section; and Seema Latkar will be SP-1, as the administrative head of the Lokayukta police wing.

Karnataka's Upa Lokayukta Justice Subhash B. Adi is quoted in a section of the media defending the appointment of four lady IPS officers. "We believe they (the women SPs) are strong. And this is a strong message in empowering female officers in the force," Adi said.

All the four women have been assigned delicate tasks - SPs of Patna and Rural districts (which have the highest number of cases); Administration and Petition Inquiry section. "All are highly important sections of the Lokayukta police. An officer, who heads these, should have performed exemplary work in the past. The lady IPS officers have good track record. All of them have been selected on the basis of merit and they are already demonstrating what difference they can make to the institution," a senior police officer pointed out.

In the past, there were allegations of corruption against some of the officers in the police wing of the Lokayukta. For instance, they had prepared false "source reports" (which identified illegal assets owned by government servants) on the basis of which raids were conducted on nongovernment officers, leading to severe embarrassment.

In two other cases, the corruption charges fell flat in the court as it was found out the police wing of the Lokayukta had erred. However, all such officers were weeded out after the Congress came to power in Karnataka to restore the honour of the Lokayukta institution. "The Lokayukta has done the right job by empowering women police officers.

This will definitely motivate the others," a senior police officer remarked.