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Karnataka sets a new precedent: women head both civil and police administration
By IndianMandarins- 01 Dec 2017
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On 01 December 2017, Karnataka has become the first state where women have come to head both Civil & Police Administration. K Ratna Prabha (IAS:1981:KN) and Neelamani N Raju (IPS:1983:KN) are the state's new Chief Secretary and DGP respectively. For the state Cong Govt, it's a big talking point as the state heads towards assembly election next year. Since Prabha belongs to the so-called Dalit community, the Congress Party can legitimately claim that it's true well-wisher of the community.
Further, the appointment of two women in two critical posts improves the record of the Congress Party versus the BJP which has been fielding women in many critical posts at the center and in the states controlled by it.
Also, the appointment of both Prabha and Raju restores the principle of seniority and leaves no room for the accusation of violation of rules.
"It's for the first time that both the chief secretary and the police chief are women. Unlike other states where local officers are picked up over those from outside, Karnataka has proven that it does not discriminate on regional and gender grounds," said former IAS officer A Ramaswamy.
In fact, the appointment of two women to top posts will help the Siddaramaiah government score some brownie points in the run-up to the assembly polls. "Many thought the CM will not choose women as the police chief or chief secretary in view of the polls. But Siddaramaiah took everyone by surprise. Had he denied Raju the DG&IGP's post, he would have had to bear the ignominy of not letting her become the first woman chief of the police force. If he hadn't considered Prabha for the chief secretary's post, he would have faced a strong backlash from the Dalit community she belongs to and also from women working professionals. But now Siddaramaiah has emerged as a leader who has truly worked towards equality of women," said a source close to the CM.
The government's decision has been appreciated by opposition parties too. BJP MP and former minister Shobha Karandlaje's Twitter comment on Prabha's appointment reads: "Happy to see a woman heading the bureaucracy."
An official in the chief minister's office (CMO) said: "The CM has made it clear that women should not be relegated to the background in the decision-making and execution process. Almost all districts have at least one woman officer in a coveted position. For example, in Kolar district, all the top three officials - deputy commissioner, zilla panchayat CEO and superintendent of police - are women."
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Karnataka sets a new precedent: women head both civil and police administration
By IndianMandarins - 2017-12-01 11:05:44
On 01 December 2017, Karnataka has become the first state where women have come to head both Civil & Police Administration. K Ratna Prabha (IAS:1981:KN) and Neelamani N Raju (IPS:1983:KN) are the state's new Chief Secretary and DGP respectively. For the state Cong Govt, it's a big talking point as the state heads towards assembly election next year. Since Prabha belongs to the so-called Dalit community, the Congress Party can legitimately claim that it's true well-wisher of the community.
Further, the appointment of two women in two critical posts improves the record of the Congress Party versus the BJP which has been fielding women in many critical posts at the center and in the states controlled by it.
Also, the appointment of both Prabha and Raju restores the principle of seniority and leaves no room for the accusation of violation of rules.
"It's for the first time that both the chief secretary and the police chief are women. Unlike other states where local officers are picked up over those from outside, Karnataka has proven that it does not discriminate on regional and gender grounds," said former IAS officer A Ramaswamy.
In fact, the appointment of two women to top posts will help the Siddaramaiah government score some brownie points in the run-up to the assembly polls. "Many thought the CM will not choose women as the police chief or chief secretary in view of the polls. But Siddaramaiah took everyone by surprise. Had he denied Raju the DG&IGP's post, he would have had to bear the ignominy of not letting her become the first woman chief of the police force. If he hadn't considered Prabha for the chief secretary's post, he would have faced a strong backlash from the Dalit community she belongs to and also from women working professionals. But now Siddaramaiah has emerged as a leader who has truly worked towards equality of women," said a source close to the CM.
The government's decision has been appreciated by opposition parties too. BJP MP and former minister Shobha Karandlaje's Twitter comment on Prabha's appointment reads: "Happy to see a woman heading the bureaucracy."
An official in the chief minister's office (CMO) said: "The CM has made it clear that women should not be relegated to the background in the decision-making and execution process. Almost all districts have at least one woman officer in a coveted position. For example, in Kolar district, all the top three officials - deputy commissioner, zilla panchayat CEO and superintendent of police - are women."
