New Delhi: The Union home ministry has asked all states to make police promotions conditional upon their attitude to women and include gender sensitivity in their annual performance appraisal.

In an effort to combat sexual crimes against women, the ministry has advised strict disciplinary action against cops found guilty of gender bias.

“Strict action should be taken against policemen who exhibit discourtesy or bias against women or neglect their supervisory responsibilities in this regard,” the ministry said in a May 12 letter to all states.

The letter added that senior police officers needed to take serious account of their subordinates’ attitude to women while considering postings or promotions.

A senior home ministry official said the advisory aimed at removing gender bias among policemen.

Another official drew attention to the dismissal on Monday of a Delhi police head constable caught on camera attacking a woman with a brick. Soon after TV channels started beaming the incident, the home ministry had asked Delhi police commissioner B.S. Bassi to take stringent action against the constable.

“We can only advise states to comply with the guidelines. Implementing them is their responsibility, considering law and order is a state subject and the primary responsibility of providing safety and security to people lies with respective state governments,” the official said.

Delhi police are, however, under the control of the home ministry.

In the letter, the ministry said complaints had been received from several states that crimes against women were not being registered under relevant sections of the IPC, in line with the Criminal Law Amendment Act 2013 enacted after the December 2012 bus gang rape in Delhi.

“The act mandates that only female police can record reports of crimes against women and their statements. But it is not being followed by policemen in several states. The ministry has been getting hundreds of complaints from across the country,” a joint secretary in North Block said.

The ministry has said that lower rungs of police need to be sensitised to handle crimes against women and requested states to take remedial measures to curb the rising incidents of such crimes.

It has advised top police officials to regularly organise training courses, take strict disciplinary action against any official indulging in gender bias and report action taken at every level. If action is found to be not taken, the supervisory official will be held accountable.