Karnataka revokes ban on night shift for women

In the wake of a public outcry, the Karnataka Government yesterday decided to revoke its controversial rule to ban night shifts for women.

The Karnataka Cabinet, which met in Bangalore on Monday, decided to promulgate an ordinance to stall the implementation of the provisions of the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishment Act 2007 that prohibited women from working beyond 8 pm.

Briefing reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Karnataka’s Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Basavaraj Horatti said an ordinance seeking to withdraw the ban on night shifts for women will be issued in a day or two. “We are issuing the ordinance as the ban on night shifts triggerred a tremendous opposition from women and industries”, Horatti told reporters.

Karnataka’s Labour Minister Iqbal Ansari, who is the architect of the controversial legislation, told reporters that the Government will allow night shifts, but enforce conditions on the employers to provide a safe work environment and transport for women employees.

He said the Government had decided to ban night shifts for women in the wake of rising crime against working women.

The Karnataka Government’s turnaround comes not only after stiff resistance from women’s organizations, but also Governor T N Chaturvedi’s suggestion to drop the controversial piece of legislation. In a letter to the Government, the Governor pointed that than a ban on night shifts for women was violative of “constitutional equality and social policy” of the Federal Government.

Though the controversial legislation, which was passed in the recent legislature session, had excluded women working in Information Technology, Bio-technology, hospitals and other essential services, ladies employed in hotels, hospitality sector and malls were up in arms against the Government’s decision.

The Karnataka State Women’s Commission too had cried foul against the Government’s decision with Commission Chairperson Pramila Nesargi appealing to the Labour Minister to withdraw the “retrograde” move.

Monday’s Cabinet decision has come as a major relief to thousands of working women, who were apprehensive of losing their jobs on account of the Government’s decision to ban night shifts.