Maharashtra Becomes 1st State To Allow Businesses To Stay Open 24×7; But There’s A Catch!

If you are in Maharashtra, then there is some good news for you. Shops, businesses can remain open 24×7 in the state, from now on.

This will no doubt give a tremendous boost to the businesses, as they can now operate whole night and whole day, and increase their revenues, while at the same time give consumers more options.

Employees-friendly rules have also been announced, so that they are not exploited due to this rule.

However, there is a catch here. We will shortly reveal that..

Maharashtra Businesses Now 24×7 Operational!

Yesterday night, Maharashtra legislature issued an important notification to Maharashtra Shops and Establishment Act, 2017, which will now allow businesses to remain open whole night and day, or 24×7.

This new notification has been issued under Centre’s Model Shops and Establishment Act, 2016, which allowed businesses to be operational 24×7. Centre had passed this law in June this year.

However, states were required to pass their own resolution and guidelines for implementing this, and Maharashtra has just became the first state to do so.

Women empowerment has also been linked with this development.

Labour minister Sambhaji Patil Nilangekar said,

“We expect women-driven businesses to get a boost from this move. At least five lakh new licences are estimated to be issued under the act in the near future,”

As of now, shops are allowed to be open till 10 PM, while commercial establishments are allowed till 9.30 PM, and restaurants till 12.30 AM.

But Not All Businesses Are Allowed!

There is a catch in the new rules, which everyone should be aware: Liquor shops are not allowed to remain open 24×7 in the state.

The new rule applies to shops, restaurants (that do not serve alcohol), cinema halls, salons, hyper malls and businesses such as banks, medical establishments and tax consultancies.

Bars, pubs and liquor shops are excluded.

The rule also enforces employee-protection clauses, which needs to be adhered to.

For instance, after 9.30 PM, women should be provided with cabs for drop facility, and no employee can be asked to work for more than 9 hours. Besides, one day’s leave every week, for every employee is mandatory.

In case a business applies for 24×7 operations, they are mandated to provide overtime duties, paid leaves, first-aid, canteen facilities and a creche to the employees.

Or pay the appropriate allowance for the same.

There are around 35 lakh businesses/shops in the state, and any one can simply apply online for granting permission to remain open 24×7.

Minister Patil said,

“Of the 35 lakh shops and establishments, nearly 22.10 lakh are with zero employees and run by proprietors, while another 12.13 lakh (with 35.32 lakh workers) have between one and nine workers, and 84,702 establishments (32.22 lakh workers) have 10 or more workers,”

Fine up to Rs 5 lakh has been provisioned, for violation of these rules.