Bengaluru: In a big relief to the hotel and restaurant owners, the Karnataka government permitted all the shops and commercial establishments in the state employing 10 or more persons to remain open 24X7 on all days of the year for a period of three years.
Further, the government also issued a notification allowing women to work in night shifts (7 pm to 6 am) in all factories registered under the factories act. The state government, has in the notification cited Madras High Court judgement striking down Section 66(1)(b) of the Factories Act, 1948, which prohibited employment of women to work in night shifts, and certain conditions laid down by it. Currently, women are allowed to work night shifts only in the IT and IT-enabled service sectors. With this move, women will be allowed to work during the night in other sectors including manufacturing.
According to a three pages order issued by the labour department, the women employees shall be provided transport arrangements if she is put on the night shift, besides mandatory overtime if the working hours exceed 8 hours. Internal committee to inquire about the harassment including complaints of sexual harassment shall be formed.
“It is for the first time in the state that such a decision has been taken. It is applicable to all the establishments irrespective of location,” explained a senior officer from the labour department.
(Inputs from PTI)
