2 days ago
Jharkhand lifts night shift ban for women
The women of Jharkhand have got the legal right now to work in night shifts in factories. President Draupadi Murmu earlier month approved the Factory (Jharkhand Amendment) Bill, 2025 which allows women to work even in the night, however, night duty will be imposed only after the consent of the women.
The bill was tabled in the Jharkhand Assembly on August 2, 2023.
A Raj Bhavan official said that the bill was passed in the Assembly and forwarded it to the Raj Bhavan and the Raj Bhavan sent it for approval to the President.
'The President has given the approval on August 1, 2025 and the Raj Bhavan has received the approval on Thursday and it has been forwarded to the state government, 'the official said.
As per the bill, the entire responsibility of the safety and security of women employees will be of the concerned company and its management. Also, the consent of the women employees who will be made to work in night shift duty is also mandatory.
While speaking to The Hindu, Jharkhand Chief Inspector (Factory) Manish Kumar Sinha said, 'State government Labour Department will forward the approval to my office. Once it will be received, we will soon notify it in the state gazette. It will come into force within a week.'
Mr. Sinha further said, 'Earlier, the Factory Act 1948 did not allow women to work between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. Now after the amendment women employees in factories have been given the right to work between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. which is considered the night shift.'
There are many factories in the state which work round the clock and women employees only work in general shift.
Tata Motors alone has over 4500 women employees in different branches. The company was already mulling over to increase the participation of women. Therefore, starting the night shift will increase employment of women.
Tatar Workers' Union Vice President Sanjay Singh welcomed the decision asserting that it will be given equal opportunities like men.
'It would be the responsibility of the company to provide them with a pick and drop facility and their security would also be concerned. The overall decision is very good but several steps should be taken for the safety of the women during night shift,'Mr. Singh said.
