Odisha Cabinet approves Odisha Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025
Odisha Cabinet during its 28th meeting held at Lok Seva Bhavan Conference Hall last evening approved Odisha Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025.
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Cabinet during its 28th meeting held at Lok Seva Bhavan Conference Hall last evening approved Odisha Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025.
As per the Labour and ESI Department, in order to reduce compliance burden on small businesses, to provide impetus to entrepreneurs for creating more economic activities in the State, to expand employment opportunities and improve the Ease of Doing Business in the State, the Cabinet in its 27 meeting held on 29.09.2025 has approved the proposals for amendment in the Odisha Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1956.
It is now considered expedient and felt necessary to implement the proposed amendments in the Odisha Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1956 by way of an Ordinance. As the State Legislative Assembly is not in session and the circumstances exist which render it necessary for promulgation of an Ordinance under Article 213 of the Constitution of India, the Cabinet has approved the proposal of promulgation of the Odisha Shops and Commercial Establishment (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025. The proposed Ordinance, after its promulgation, shall be replaced by an Act of the State Legislature in due course.
The proposed Ordinance shall cover the following amendments in the Odisha Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1956:
- Provisions of the Odisha Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1956 shall be applicable to such Shops and Commercial Establishments in the State which engage 20 or more employees. However, all the Shops and Commercial Establishments shall be required to display Odia signboard irrespective of the number of employees employed by them;
- Increase in daily working hours from 9 hours to 10 hours. However, weekly working hours is limited to 48 hours (forty-eight hours per week), as already existing in the Act,
- The work shift of an employee in an establishment shall not exceed six continuous hours without an interval for rest of at least half an hour;
- Increase in overtime work limit from 50 hours to 144 hours during a period of three months;
- Where an employee works in any establishment for more than 10 hours on any day or for more than 48 hours in any week, he shall, in respect of such overtime work be entitled to double the ordinary rate of wages;
- Establishment shall have the choice to remain open 24×7 in a day and 365-days in a year;
- Removal of prohibition on engagement of women employees during night. Women employees can he engaged during night with their written consent and subject to conditions of safety, security and dignity of women as may be notified by the State Government.
