Puducherry: Common Registration System

The Government of Puducherry’s Labour Department, has introduced a single/common registration system for shops and establishments under the OSH Code, 2020, thereby eliminating the need for a separate registration under the older Puducherry Shops and Establishments Act, 1964.

Purpose & Intent​
The Government of Puducherry aims to improve ease of doing business by reducing the compliance burden on existing and new enterprises through rationalized regulatory practices.

Core Decision​
All shops and establishments registered under the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH) Code, 2020 are hereby exempted from registration under Section 7 and from all provisions of the Puducherry Shops and Establishments Act, 1964 — effectively replacing dual registration with a single registration.

Conditions of the Exemption

Establishments availing this exemption must satisfy the following:​

1. Full OSH compliance — Employers must comply with all duties relating to occupational safety, health, working conditions, hours of work, welfare provisions, and maintenance of registers, records, and returns under the OSH Code, 2020.

2. No retrospective effect — Any actions or proceedings already initiated under the Puducherry Shops and Establishments Act, 1964 prior to this notification remain unaffected.

3. Effective date — 15-03-2026

Please find below the official notification:

Govt-of-Puducherry-notified-regarding-the-registration-of-establishments-under-the-Occupational-Safety-Health-and-Working-Conditions-Code-2020-MARCH232026