Women allowed to work in night shifts in all factories in Karnataka
Bengaluru, Nov 20: The Karnataka government on Wednesday issued a notification allowing women to work in night shifts (7 pm to 6 am) in all factories registered under the factories act.
The state government has in the notification cited a Madras High Court judgment striking down Section 66(1)(b) of the Factories Act, 1948, which prohibited women working in night shifts, and certain conditions laid down by it.
"The employer shall be at liberty to employ women workers as a whole or in part during the night shift, provided, the directions be complied with," the notification reads, listing conditions.
The employer shall send a fortnightly report to Inspector of Factories about the details of employees engaged during night shifts and also send express report whenever there is some untoward incident, to the Inspector of Factories and local police station as well, it said.
The notification also clarifies that "It shall not be made compulsory or obligatory for any women worker to work in night shifts. Written consent shall be obtained from the women workers who are interested to work in night shifts."
The Chief Inspector may by an order withdraw the permission issued by the notification to any factory, if any or all the conditions laid down in the notification are not followed, in the interest of safety and security of the women workers who come forward to work in night shifts, it said.
Labour Minister Suresh Kumar recently said during his meeting with industries representatives the latter asked for permission to employ women at shop floors and for night shifts.
The government had said it will look into the pros and cons and also hold discussion with the Law department before taking a decision.
As of now, women are allowed to work night shifts only in the IT and IT-enabled service sectors in the state.
With this notification, women will allowed to work during night in other sectors including manufacturing.
Listing the conditions, the government has said it shall be the duty of the employer or other responsible persons at work places to prevent or deter the commission of acts of sexual harassment and to provide the procedures for the resolution, statement or prosecution of acts of sexual harassment by taking all steps required.
The notification states that the employer shall provide proper lighting and CCTV coverage not only inside the factory, but also surroundings of the factory and to all places where women workers may move out of necessity in the course of such shift.
CCTV footage shall be stored for not less than 45 days.
The employers shall see that the women workers are employed in a batch not less than 10 and the total of the women workers employed in a night shift shall not be less than two-thirds of the total strength.
It also states that the employer shall provide transportation facility for women workers from their residence and back (for night shift) and security guards (including female security guard) and each transportation vehicle shall also be equipped with CCTV camera.
It says the employer or persons in charge of factory shall take steps to prevent sexual harassment in any form.
The rules or regulations shall be framed by the factory managements relating to conduct and discipline prohibiting sexual harassment and provide for appropriate penalties in such rules against the offenders.
In case of any criminal case, the employer shall initiate appropriate action in accordance with the penal law without delay and also ensure that victims or witness are not victimised or discriminated.
The employer shall maintain a complaint redressal mechanism in the factory itself and it shall ensure time-bound treatment of complaint.
According to the notification, the female employees shall be allowed to raise issues of sexual harassment to workers at the workers' meeting and other appropriate forums.
They shall be made aware of their rights in particular by prominently notifying the guidelines on the subject.
Among others, the notification states that there shall be not less than 12 consecutive hours of rest or gap between the last shift and the night shift wherever a women worker is changed from day shift to night and vice versa.
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4 held for sexually assaulting woman, girl on moving bus after social media alert in UP's Agra
Agra (UP) (PTI): Four people were arrested, after a prompt response by police following a social media alert, for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman and a girl inside a moving bus here, officials said on Tuesday.
According to an official police statement, at 12:27 am on April 27, information was received on the social media platform X about an incident of sexual assault on a bus travelling from Kanpur to Ahmedabad, which was approaching Namner crossing in Agra.
Acting under the direction of Police Commissioner Deepak Kumar, the Agra Police social media team immediately alerted the Rakabganj police station within minutes and coordinated with the victims to confirm the incident and obtain the exact location, it stated.
Police teams launched intensive checking at Namner crossing and intercepted the bus as it reached the spot. The four accused involved in the incident were apprehended on the spot, and legal action was initiated against them, the statement said.
The police said the swift response and coordination between the social media team and field units ensured timely action, bringing relief to the victims and other passengers, who expressed gratitude towards the police, it added.
