A recent report suggested that the Maharashtra Government is giving finishing touches to the bill that will allow shops to remain open for twenty-four hours of the day, seven days of the week
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You may soon be able to fulfill your cravings for shopping at any time of the day or night. A recent report suggested that the Maharashtra Government is giving finishing touches to the bill that will allow shops to remain open for twenty-four hours of the day, seven days of the week.
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The report, published by the EconomicTimes, stated that the only speed bump in passing the bill is to consider if all shops across Mumbai should be allowed to stay open or should it be levied on shops located in only certain regions in the city.
Known as the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments (MSEB) bill, the move is a part of the initiative by the government to ease the hurdles in doing business. The bill is likely to be introduced in the forthcoming monsoon session of the state assembly.
But, the government has excluded permit rooms, beer bars, wine shops, discotheques and pubs from the list of business who will be allowed to stay open all night. The bill further stipulates that all establishments that give their employees a mandatory weekly holiday will be allowed to stay open 24x7. These establishments will be allowed to hire women to work in the night shift, but will have to get their consent fist and will have to ensure their safety.
In a statement, a state government official said, “We will not allow a blanket approval for all establishments to remain open; beer bars and wine shops will have to shut at their usual hour as there would be a law and order problem.”
On the flip-side, the state department and police have expressed their reticence over the policy. The home department issued a statement saying, it ‘does not recommend the provision of allowing shops and other establishments’ to remain open for business 24x7, as it could lead to law and order problems.