The Maharashtra government has issued a notification to the Maharashtra Shops and Establishment Act, 2017 and it reveals shops, restaurants, salons, cinema halls, hyper malls, medical establishments, tax consultants and banks can remain open even at night. However, those restaurants which serve alcohol are barred to operate 24×7 in the state.
Until now shops were allowed to remain open up to 10 p.m. and commercial establishments till 9.30 p.m. The shut down time for restaurants were 12.30 a.m.
The latest notification also paves the night shifts path for women from 9.30 p.m. to 7 a.m. following certain regulations and having consent of the individual.
Maharashtra labor minister Sambhaji Patil Nilangekar said the new rules may boost women-driven businesses and more than five lakh new licenses would be issued in near future.
To implement the new timing business houses need
to inform the ministry through online process including number of employees hired for the extended hours.
Meanwhile, the police and civic bodies can approach the Maharashtra government to implement restrictions of such freedom of working hours for certain areas or sectors and a separate notification would be issued to exclude such categories.
The notification adds employers need to safeguard their employees during the extended hour and should ensure they are not working for more than nine hours.
Violations of the Act may land the employer to penalty of Rs 5 lakh or imprisonment of six months in case of serious injury or death of employees.
Violation of other duties towards employers may be slapped with a penalty of up to Rs 2 lakh.
