Punjab S&E Amended Act 2025. The provisions of this Act apply to shops and establishments that employ 20 or more workers. For shops and establishments with fewer than 20 workers, only section 13-A of the Act is applicable. If a business with fewer than 20 workers increases its workforce to 20 or more, the provisions of the Act will then apply to it.
The main features of the Punjab Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Act, 2025 are as follows:
- Working Hours: The amendment changes the maximum working hours for employees. The daily working hours have been extended from nine to ten hours.
- The maximum hours for spread-over duty have also been extended from ten to twelve hours.
- The Overtime limit has been increased from 50 hours to 144 hours in a quarter.
- Registration and Intimation:
- Registration: Every establishment with 20 or more workers must apply for and obtain a registration certificate within six months of starting business. The Inspector is required to issue the certificate within 24 hours of receiving the application. If the certificate is not issued within this timeframe, it is considered to have been granted. The employer must prominently display the certificate in the establishment.
- Intimation: Establishments with fewer than 20 workers must provide an intimation of their business to the Inspector within six months of the commencement of the Act or the start of their business.
- Penalties for Violations:
- Contravention of Provisions: The penalties for violating the Act have been updated. For a first offense where no specific penalty is provided, the fine is not less than 500 rupees and not more than 2,000 rupees. A subsequent offense carries a fine of not less than 3,000 rupees and not more than 30,000 rupees, with an additional fine of 500 rupees for each day the offense continues.
- Contravention of Section 6: For the first contravention of Section 6, the fine is between 1,000 and 25,000 rupees. For a second offense, the fine is between 5,000 and 50,000 rupees, and a fine of 1,000 rupees per day may be imposed for any subsequent continuing offense.
- Obstruction of Inspecting Authority: Obstructing an inspecting authority can result in a fine of 1,000 to 10,000 rupees for the first offense. A second offense is punishable with a fine of 3,000 to 50,000 rupees, and a daily fine of 500 rupees can be imposed for subsequent, continuing offenses.
- Compounding of Offenses: The State Government can appoint a competent authority to compound offenses under the Act. This authority can impose a composition fee for contraventions of sections 6, 20, 21, and 26, or related rules, with the fee not exceeding the maximum fine specified for those sections. If an offense is compounded, no further action will be taken against the offender for that specific offense.