Times of India
Bangalore, May 11: Following confusion and uproar caused by labour minister Iqbal Ansari's "goof-up" on the legislation preventing night shifts for women, Governor T N Chaturvedi on Thursday asked the state government not to enforce the Act, despite having given his assent.
Sources said Chaturvedi had taken exception to the "misreading" of an innocuous legislation by the minister, when its provisions were well-intended. The Governor had given his assent to the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments (amendment) Act, 2007, passed in the last legislature session.
Sources said all that was sought from the amendment was enhancing the penalty for employers of petty shops, which did not function beyond 8 pm, if they did not provide security to women in the work environment.
"The amendment did not include factories, major commercial establishments or even the hospitality sector. In reality, it was not going to affect anybody. We do not know in which century the minister lives to say that night shifts would be banned for women barring those working in the IT/BT sectors and essential services," a government source said.
It is learnt the governor observed that if the government was going to interpret the Bill in such a manner, it was "violative of Constitutional equality and of social policy followed by the Centre."
Besides it also amounted to gender inequality and hence wanted the notification to be withdrawn. Sources said around 25 Bills were sent for the governor's assent at one go after the legislature session concluded in April and this was one among them.