Delhi LG approves proposal to permit 32 more establishments to operate 24X7
Jan 14, 2024
New Delhi [India], January 14 : Thirty-two more establishments--departmental stores, shops selling cosmetics and beauty products, and sweets shops--will be allowed to operate 24x7 in the capital, taking the total number of such commercial establishments to over 667.
Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has approved the proposal under sections 14, 15, and 16 of the Delhi Shops and Establishment Act, 1954, for 32 establishments to work on a 24x7x365 basis.
As per the official statement, of these, 7 approvals have been granted to establishments that had applied for exemption for their women employees during nighttime.
It further said that the exemptions have been given with foolproof assurances about the safety of employees by the establishments.
These 32 applications pertain to logistics and courier services, hotel and restaurants, retail trade, storage management services, and other commercial establishments related to ayurveda and food items.
These include Godfrey Phillips India Ltd., Hiveloop, E-Commerce E-Pvt. Ltd., Sunny Ridge Kila Resorts, Scootsy Logistics, Organic India Pvt. Ltd., and Bikanerwala International.
A total of 52 online applications were received in the Labour Department up to December 21, 2023, out of which 20 were incomplete, duplicate, or deficient in certain respects and have been temporarily held on hold till deficiency is removed.
The remaining 32 applications have been proposed by the Department of Labour for grant of exemption under Sections 14, 15, and 16 of the Delhi Shops and Establishment Act, 1954.
With this, the total number of establishments that have been granted exemptions in the last year since Saxena took over has risen to 667.
Out of these, 29 applications were approved in August 2023 and 83 applications in November 2023.
Section 14 of the Delhi Shops and Establishment Act regulates the working conditions of young people and women.
It lays down that no young person or woman can be required or allowed to work, whether as an employee or otherwise, between 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. during summer (1st April to 30 September) and 8 pm to 8 am during the winter (1st October to 31 March).
Section 15 of the Delhi Shops and Establishment Act regulates the opening and closing hours of shops and establishments. Such timings are / ought to be fixed by the government by general or special orders.
Section 16 of the Delhi Shops and Establishment Act mandates that every shop and establishment shall remain closed for one day, after six working days.
Section 4 of the Delhi Shops and Establishment Act, 1954, empowers the government to grant exemption from the provisions of the Act to any shop or establishment. In the present case, the applicants have sought exemption from Sections 14, 15, and 16 of the Act.
