Aiming to create employment opportunities, along with enhancing economic activities within the national capital, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday granted permission for 32 more shops and commercial establishments to operate 24 hours. The Labour Department of Delhi government had proposed the plan to the Chief Minister regarding the operation of these establishments for 24 hours. These commercial establishments belong to the categories of commercial, retail trade or business, provision stores.

The government said that all these establishments must strictly adhere to the provisions and rules of the Delhi Shops and Establishments Act of 1954. The government will keep strict watch over them to ensure that no violation of the rules takes place. The proposal has now been sent to the Lieutenant Governor (LG) for final approval.

It further said that compliance with Sections 14, 15, and 16 of the Delhi Shops and Establishments Act, 1954 is mandatory for these shops and commercial establishments. For instance, during summers, women employees will not be permitted to work in any establishment between 9 PM to 7 AM, and during winter between 8 PM to 8 AM. Shops must be open and closed within specified times, and violation of this might lead to the closure of the commercial establishment. An additional 15 minutes will be allowed to open the shop if customers are waiting. Different areas may have different timings for opening or closing shops, and owners will have to adhere to those timings.

Under the Delhi Shops and Establishments Act of 1954, the Delhi Labour Department received 52 applications to operate shops for 24 hours. The department thoroughly examined these applications and documents. Of these, 20 applications did not meet the requirements and were not considered. However, all 32 applications meeting the criteria were approved.

It is noteworthy that in the past few years, there has been a significant increase in the number of permissions granted for the operation of 24-hour shops and commercial establishments within Delhi. The Chief Minister periodically approves commercial establishments that meet the criteria. Now, approval has been granted for 32 more establishments, bringing the total to 667.