Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.
| Photo Credit: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR
The Delhi government on Monday directed the Labour Department to take steps to allow women employees to work night shifts after taking their consent.
The directions came following a review meeting on the ease of doing business chaired by Lieutenant-Governor V.K. Saxena and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.
The department was also instructed to ensure the safety of the women employees by amending the Delhi Shops and Establishment Act, which prohibits a woman or a young person from working between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. during summer and between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. during winter.
Additionally, Mr. Saxena and the CM also issued directions to amend the Act to increase the minimum threshold of workers from one to 10 members per establishment, and allow the shops to work round the clock.
The L-G and the CM observed that the process to simplify labour laws in the last 11 years was “far from satisfactory” and “restrictive laws had hampered the businesses”.
The previous Aam Aadmi Party government had in 2023 proposed the Delhi Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Rules, seeking to allow women to work night shifts. However, the Delhi police had objected to the initiative, added the source.
It was also decided that the process of doing business in Delhi must be “re-engineered” within six months.
Others present at the meeting included Delhi Home Minister Ashish Sood and Industries Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, along with Chief Secretary Dharmendra, Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora, and MCD Commissioner Ashwani Kumar.
Published – July 02, 2025 01:43 am IST