Punjab Allows Shops and Establishments to Stay Open 24×7
October 9, 2026
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The Government of Punjab has exempted all shops and establishments in the State from Section 9 and Section 10(1) of the Punjab Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1958. Establishments registered under the Act may now stay open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, on every day of the year.
This notification is different in two ways. It has no end date: it stays in force till further orders. And its conditions now rest on the four Labour Codes instead of a list of working-hour rules written into the notification.
What the exemption covers
| Provision exempted | What it otherwise requires |
| Section 9 – Opening and closing hours | The Government fixes, by notification, the hours when each class of establishment may open and close. These can differ by class of establishment and by area. |
| Section 10(1) – Close day | Sunday is declared a closed day, when the establishment must stay shut. |
No other provision of the Act is exempted.
Conditions attached
| # | Condition |
| (a) | Implement the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, with its rules and instructions |
| (b) | Comply with the Labour Department’s instructions on employing women in night shifts, as issued from time to time |
| (c) | Implement the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 |
| (d) | Comply with the Code on Wages, the Code on Social Security, the Industrial Relations Code and the OSH&WC Code, and the rules made under each |
Revocation, duration and review
- Revocation: A breach of any condition, or of any other provision of the Act, can lead to the exemption being withdrawn. The Competent Authority must first give the establishment a hearing. It can then fix operating timings for that establishment alone or for establishments generally.
- Duration: The exemption stays in force till further orders, or until it is withdrawn specifically or generally.
- Review: The Government may review the exemption at any time, as needed or on administrative grounds.
What’s changed from earlier notifications
| Earlier annual extensions | 2026 notification | |
| Validity | One year at a time, usually ending 31 May | Till further orders |
| Working-hour safeguards | Written into the notification. The June 2023 extension, for example, required a weekly holiday with no wage cut, the holiday list posted in advance on the notice board, 1 hour’s rest after 5 hours of continuous work, a cap of 9 hours a day and 48 hours a week, and a spread-over of no more than 11 hours | Not restated. Compliance with all four Labour Codes and their rules is required instead |
| Staffing and late-night safety | New staff to be appointed for the extended hours, and adequate safety arrangements for employees and visitors if open after 10 PM | Not restated as separate conditions |
| Women employees | The July 2024 extension did not allow women to work after 8 PM without their written consent, and required safety arrangements and safe travel home after work | The Labour Department’s night-shift instructions, as issued from time to time |
Please find attached the official notification:
NotificationregardingpermissiontooperateShopsandEstablishments247inPunjab