The Andaman and Nicobar Administration on June 15, 2026, issued the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Shops and Establishments (Amendment) Rules, 2026, further to amend the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Shops and Establishments Rules, 2005.
The following has been amended, namely:
• The draft amendment seeks to modernize and simplify compliance under the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Shops and Establishments framework by introducing lifetime online registration, enabling 24x7 operations of shops and establishments, and aligning the regulatory regime with the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 (OSH Code). Registration certificates will be issued automatically through an electronic system without prior approval and will remain valid for the lifetime of the establishment unless it is closed.
• The amendments permit round-the-clock business operations subject to safeguards relating to weekly holidays, working hours, overtime wages, and compensatory leave. Detailed conditions have been prescribed for the employment of women during night shifts, including consent requirements, transport facilities, workplace safety measures, CCTV surveillance, medical support, anti-sexual harassment compliance, crèche facilities, and special protections in hazardous workplaces. The draft also removes certain outdated forms and manual procedures by promoting electronic compliance.
• Further, the amendments harmonize the Shops and Establishments Regulations with the OSH Code, 2020. Establishments employing ten or more workers will be governed by the Code, while those already registered under the existing Regulations with twenty or more workers will be deemed compliant with registration requirements under the Code, avoiding duplicate registrations. In cases of conflict between the two laws, the provision that is more beneficial to employees will prevail.
Public comments and objections can be submitted by July 30, 2026.
[Notification no. - 221/2026. F. No. M-2530973/2/2025-ALC(SA)-LAB_AN]
