UT Chandigarh has allowed shops to now open 24×7 on all days of the year. UT Administration to promote Ease of Doing Business and to simplify labour laws and regulations regarding opening and closing timings and operations on all days of a week and for the benefits of traders and shopkeepers in UT, Chandigarh has allowed all shops and commercial establishments situated in UT, Chandigarh to keep open on all 365 days and to operate for 24 hours. This business reforms initiative has been taken by the UT Administration to ensure that those traders and shopkeepers who want to operate beyond existing permissible timings and days would not have to take specific permission every time from the Labour Department, thus leading to Ease of Doing Business, higher productivity and growth. Starting from today, all shops and commercial establishments registered with Labour Department will only be allowed the benefit of operating 24×7 throughout the year. Thus, the benefit is not available to other shops and commercial establishments not having registration certificate from Labour Department. The Secretary-cum-Labour Commissioner
Vinay Pratap Singh stated that UT Administration is conscious of the welfare and Ease of Doing Business needs of all shopkeepers and traders of UT, Chandigarh and thus this benefit of extended hours throughout the year has been granted. The Secretary-cum-Labour Commissioner further urged all shopkeepers and traders to get themselves registered with Labour Department under Punjab Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1958 through online portal – labour.chd.gov.in. He also informed that registration certificate is issued by the Labour Department on payment of Rs.1000/- to 5000/- (according to category of registration certificate) on online portal. He further informed that Labour Department will hold extensive awareness and registration camps in markets for the welfare of shopkeepers and traders, so that they can avail the benefit of extended operational hours.
Every employee working in the said shops and establishments shall be given one day rest in a week without making any deduction from his/her wages on account thereof and list of the time table of such holidays for a month shall be placed on the notice board in advance. Every employee shall be given a rest period of at least half an hour after 5 hours of continuous work. No employee shall be required to work for more than 9 hours in day or 48 hours in a week.
Further, if any shop or establishment remains open after 10.00 pm on any day, adequate safety and security arrangements shall be ensured for all employees and visitors by the management. The female employees shall be provided separate locker, security and rest rooms at the work place. The female employees will not be allowed to work after 8.00 PM and in case the female employees are allowed to work after 08.00 P.M, their written consent in this regard shall be taken and adequate safety and security arrangements of female employees shall be made during working hours. It shall also be ensured that such female employees reach their homes safely after their work is over. The management/ employer has to ensure certain conditions for women employees including adequate safety, proper transportation, annual self-defence workshops and implementation of other guidelines and rules as specified by the labour department from time to time.
The provisions of the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, as amended from time to time, shall be implemented in the establishment. The employees shall be provided all the facilities mentioned in the relevant Labour Laws. The spread over of an employee shall not exceed 10 hours in a day inclusive of interval for rest. Employee shall be given national and festival holidays with wages. The wages including overtime wages of the employees shall be credited to their saving bank accounts.
The notification also provides that the CCTV Camera with minimum 15 days recording backup shall be installed on the Shop/Commercial Establishment premises for the safety purpose. An Emergency Alarm provision to counter any emergent situation will be made.
The exemption shall be cancelled after giving a due opportunity of being heard by the Competent Authority in case of violation of any of the above terms and conditions.
The inspectorate staff of the Labour Department, UT, Chandigarh is empowered to inspect and verify the record of terms and conditions imposed under the notification.
If any public or government authority receives any complaint in this regard, it shall forward the same to the Labour Department, UT, Chandigarh on the email ID [email protected] or may contact i.e. 0172-2679000, thereafter, the area Labour Inspector shall look into the matter and take action as per law.
