Overview

• The state’s circular permits most commercial establishments, including restaurants, malls, cinemas and other entertainment venues, to stay open around the clock.
• Outlets that sell or serve alcohol such as bars, permit rooms, wine shops and hookah parlours must continue to follow restricted hours.
• Authorities were instructed to ensure compliance after complaints that police and local bodies were blocking lawful late-night operations.
• Employers opting for 24x7 schedules must grant every worker a continuous weekly rest period of at least 24 hours, as required by Section 16(1)(b) of the 2017 Act.
• The clarification cites the Act’s definition of a day as 24 hours and reaffirms earlier exemptions for theatres and cinemas, while broader proposals on work hours and overtime remain under review.