Vijayawada: The police-population ratio, a key indicator of law enforcement presence, has seen notable changes in the southern states over the past five years.
Among them, Andhra Pradesh emerged as the state with the highest police presence in 2023 among the southern states, while Karnataka recorded the lowest ratio in the region. The trend analysis from 2019 to 2023 highlights significant growth in some states, while others remained relatively stable.
According to the data provided in the Lok Sabha by Nityanand Rai, minister of state for home affairs, Andhra Pradesh in 2023, had the highest police-population ratio at 165.89 per lakh population, marking an impressive 45.93% increase from 2020, when the ratio stood at 113.68. This steep rise reflects the state’s focus on strengthening its police force, possibly in response to increasing law and order challenges. Following Andhra Pradesh, Telangana recorded a ratio of 162.66 per lakh, showing a 24.27% increase from its 2020 figure of 130.88.
On the other hand, Karnataka had the lowest police-population ratio among the southern states, standing at 150.95 per lakh in 2023. Despite an 8.10% increase from its 2019 figure of 139.64, the state lags behind others in the region. Kerala also saw moderate growth, with its ratio rising from 135.08 in 2019 to 150.68 in 2023, reflecting an 11.56% increase. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu maintained a relatively stable trend, with its police-population ratio increasing from 156.89 in 2019 to 159.54 in 2023, a modest rise of just 1.69% over five years.
The overall trend in the southern states is positive, with Andhra Pradesh and Telangana making substantial progress in boosting their police strength. Although the national average police-population ratio stood at 154.84 per lakh in 2023, most southern states performed above this benchmark.
While most southern states performed better than the national average, the United Nations recommends a police-population ratio of 222 per lakh for effective policing. This means that even Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, despite their improvements, still fall short of global standards.
