Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala will induct more women in the state police force for maintenance of the law and order situation of the state. Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan announced in the state legislative assembly Wednesday that the government has initiated measures to increase the number of women police officers.

The Kerala Police Act would be amended soon to enable the public service commission (PSC) to invite applications from women for the posts of sub-inspectors, he said.

At present women are not recruited directly as sub-inspectors.

In a written reply during question hour, Kodiyeri said the police department feels a shortage of women police officers.

The state police force at present has 74 women sub-inspectors, 21 circle inspectors, one deputy superintendent, one superintendent of police and three women IPS officers.

The women police constables in the state are just about 2,000 in the 50,000-strong general branch of the force.

Welcoming the minister's announcement, Inspector General of Police B.Sandhya told IANS that it would be really good if there were more women police officers in the state police.

"The general and executive branches of the police want a sizeable number of women police officials. Today the job of the 'station house officer' is done by men. The presence of a woman officer, especially in a police station, would be nice," she said.

The written test for the sub-inspector's post would be common for both men and women. However, the women would not be asked to compete with men in the physical test.