Odisha has allowed women to work night shifts in factories, shops, and commercial establishments, but written consent is mandatory, and at least three women must be present per shift.
Employers must provide GPS-enabled transport, CCTV surveillance, proper lighting, and basic amenities like toilets and drinking water near the workplace.
Adolescent women are barred from night shifts, regardless of employment status.
While the state says the move will boost employment opportunities for women, opposition BJD criticised it, alleging the government is shifting safety responsibility onto women.
Odisha Allows Women to Work in Night Shifts, Written Consent Mandatory
The Labour and Employees' State Insurance Department issued a detailed guideline, allowing women to work in night shifts in factories, shops and other commercial establishments
Women Workforce Freepik
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The Odisha government has allowed women to work in night shifts, but written consent would be mandatory, according to a notification.
The Labour and Employees' State Insurance Department issued a detailed guideline, allowing women to work in night shifts in factories, shops and other commercial establishments.
At least three women employees should be there on the night shift, and adequate transportation facilities with a GPS-tracking system to pick and drop them should be arranged, it said.
No adolescent women will be allowed to work, whether as an employee or otherwise, in any establishment during the night, it said.
"The employer shall provide toilet or washroom and drinking water facilities near the workplace where such women employees are employed, with provisions of closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance and proper lighting, including the passages towards conveniences," it added.
The decision will increase employment opportunities for women, the notification said.
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The state government has recently made amendments to the Odisha Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1956, allowing women to work in night shifts.
Labour Minister Ganesh Ram Singkhuntia said, "After getting instructions from the Centre, we have allowed women to work at night. Female employees will have to give their written consent, expressing their willingness to work at night." The opposition BJD, however, criticised the government.
"Women will have to give a self-declaration to work on the night shifts. It means they will have to protect themselves. By doing so, the government is trying to give up its responsibility," BJD leader Pramila Mallik alleged.
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