The Delhi Government issued a notice that now allows women to work on night shifts at shops and commercial establishments with their mandatory written consent.
The notification added that employees are eligible for double pay for working overtime and that they can work a maximum of 48 hours in a week, as per the Delhi Shops and Establishments Act. The notification also mandated the formation of Internal Complaint Committees (ICC).
“Overtime wages will be paid to eligible employees at double the normal rate as provided under Section 8 of the Delhi Shops and Establishment Act, 1954. Shift working, if any, will be in such a way that no employee is forced to work in night shift only,” the notification stated.
Earlier in 2025, Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena approved the city government’s proposal to engage women workers in night shifts at shops and other commercial establishments. The recent notification by Delhi’s labour department confirmed the same, adding that women will only be allowed to work on night shifts after they give written consent.
Additionally, the notification, in accordance with the Delhi Shops and Establishments Act, states that employees will not be allowed to work for more than 9 hours a day (including meal and rest times) and 48 hours a week. It added that no employee is allowed to work for more than 5 hours in a single stretch.
The notification instructs employers to arrange suitable accommodations regarding safety, security, and transportation for all employees who are either working overtime or on the night shift.
The government has also established that every employer engaging women in their workplace needs to create an ICC as per the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal). The employers also have to install CCTV cameras for filming their workplace, preserve the footage for at least a month, and submit it on demand from the chief inspector of shops.
The other entries in the notification include mandates regarding compensatory leave in lieu of work on national holidays, weekly off days, legal benefits like minimum wages, provident fund, insurance and bonus.
