Night shifts for women in Delhi are finally a reality. Delhi’s recent amendment to the Shops and Establishments Act opens a new chapter in India’s workforce policy. For the first time, women can legally work night shifts in shops and commercial establishments, provided they give written consent and their employers ensure safety, transport, and welfare measures.
The Delhi government has permitted the engagement of women employees in night shifts across shops and commercial establishments, subject to their mandatory written consent. For years, the law in India barred women from working at night. It was primarily because of safety concerns and social norms. However, this is changing.
Many states have amended their labour laws to enable women to work during the notified night shift hours, provided that employers implement adequate safety, welfare, and compliance measures. The proposal allowing the women to work night shifts in Delhi’s shops and commercial establishments received approval from Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena earlier this year.
Key provisions under the new notification
Issued on October 23, 2025, the Delhi government’s latest notification outlines new conditions for the employment of women in night shifts under the Delhi Shops and Establishments Act, 1954.
Employment of women in night shifts
Women employees may now work night shifts in shops and commercial establishments, provided they give written consent. This provision ensures that participation in night shifts remains voluntary and transparent. Employers must also design shift schedules so that no worker, male or female, is permanently assigned to night duty. It will promote fair and flexible distribution of work across teams.
Working hours and breaks
The notification reiterates that no employee can be required to work more than 9 hours in a single day. It includes time for meals and rest, and no more than 48 hours a week. Employers must also ensure that workers do not work for more than five continuous hours without a proper break. These measures align with established labour welfare standards and aim to prevent fatigue, maintain productivity, and safeguard the health of all employees.
Overtime wages
Employees working beyond prescribed hours are entitled to overtime wages at double the normal rate, as mandated under Section 8 of the Delhi Shops and Establishments Act, 1954. The notification emphasises strict adherence to this rule to prevent wage exploitation and ensure fair compensation for extended work hours. Employers are required to maintain accurate attendance and wage records to demonstrate compliance.
Safety, security, and transport provisions
Recognising the unique challenges of night-time employment, the government has made it mandatory for employers to provide adequate safety, security, and transportation facilities for all staff required to work overtime or night shifts. This includes safe pickup and drop-off arrangements, proper lighting around workplaces, and designated security personnel. Employers must also establish clear emergency protocols to ensure employee protection at all times.
Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs)
To ensure workplace safety and compliance with gender-sensitivity norms, every employer engaging women workers must set up an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013. These committees are responsible for handling sexual harassment complaints and ensuring the workplace remains respectful and inclusive for all.
A step forward, but more work ahead
Allowing women the choice to work night shifts marks an important step toward improving women’s workforce participation in India. However, many women, or their families, hesitate to take on night-shift roles. The hesitation does not come from a lack of skill or willingness to work, but from the genuine fear of harassment and violence.
Even though the law mandates employers to provide safe transportation and security, real-world implementation may fall short. Delhi’s public safety record, especially for women commuting at night, remains a concern.
The persistent issue of women’s safety in cities like Delhi cannot be overlooked. Using data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) for 2020–2022, Delhi recorded the highest crime rate against women in 2022. In 2023, the city reported 13,439 cases of crimes against women.
Even under the new order, there are exceptions to the rule that women cannot be employed at night. For example, liquor outlets are excluded, mainly because these workplaces are considered higher risk for safety and are socially viewed as unsuitable for women to work at night. While the policy legally allows women to work night shifts, it also acknowledges the biased realities of Indian society, where specific jobs or locations may still carry stigma or safety risks.
Will safety costs affect their pay?
Then there is the question of equal pay. Even during regular day shifts, women in many workplaces are not always paid the same as their male counterparts. There could be situations where employers argue that providing additional safety measures, transportation, or security for women working night shifts increases operational costs, and they may try to offset these expenses by reducing the employee’s salary or benefits.
An employer might claim that arranging secure pick-up and drop-off, hiring security personnel, or installing lighting and surveillance systems “justifies” cutting overtime rates or night-shift allowances. Such practices would be highly unfair, as the burden of workplace safety should never fall on the employee. Policies and enforcement mechanisms need to prohibit this explicitly. They must ensure that women get full compensation for all hours worked without deductions linked to costs incurred by the employer for their protection.
Women are already unknowingly paying a safety tax. Read more about this “safety tax” and its implications in our full article here.
Night shifts for women in Delhi: Empowerment must outrun fear
The notification is a welcome reform that acknowledges women’s right to equal employment opportunities. However, its success will depend on how effectively employers, enforcement agencies, and the government work together to implement these rules into real, safe, and equitable working conditions. Family concerns, safety fears, and community expectations can prevent women from taking these jobs.
Changing the law alone is not enough; we must do more. Real change also requires greater public awareness, education about gender equality, and better safety measures in the city.
Changeincontent perspective
At Changeincontent, we celebrate Delhi’s decision as a crucial step forward, not just for employment, but for equality. Yet, we also ask the harder question: Who pays the real cost of safety?
While policies demand safe transport and security for women working at night, too often, these costs get passed down (quietly) to the very employees they are meant to protect. Lower pay, reduced benefits, or withheld allowances become invisible penalties for simply being a woman at work after dark.
This is the safety tax. It is a hidden cost of being a woman in the workforce.
The real victory will not be when women are allowed to work at night. It will be when they choose to — freely, safely, and without paying extra in fear or lost income.
Because equality after dark needs more than lighted streets. It needs a change in mindset.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are based on the writer’s insights, supported by data and resources available both online and offline, as applicable. Changeincontent.com is committed to promoting inclusivity across all forms of content. We broadly define inclusivity as media, policies, law, and history. It encompasses all elements that influence the lives of women and marginalised individuals. Our goal is to promote understanding and advocate for comprehensive inclusivity.
