Further restrictions on employment of women

Section 66 of the Factories Act, 1948 deals with further restrictions on employment of women. The provisions of this Chapter shall, in their application to women in factories, be supplemented by the following further restrictions, namely :- (a) no exemption from the provisions of section 54 may be granted in respect of any woman;

(1)The provisions of this Chapter shall, in their application to women in factories, be supplemented by the following further restrictions, namely :- (a) no exemption from the provisions of section 54 may be granted in respect of any woman;

(b) no woman shall be 2[required or allowed to work in any factory] except between the hours of 6 A.M. and 7 P.M .:

Provided that the State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, in respect of 3[any factory or group or class or description of factories,] very the limits laid down in clause (b), but so that no such variation shall authorize the employment of any woman between the hours of 10 P.M. and 5 A.M .: 4[(c) there shall be no change of shifts except after a weekly holiday or any other holiday.] (2) The State Government may make rules providing for the exemption from the restrictions set out in sub-section (1), to such extent and subject to such conditions as it may prescribe, of women working in fish-curing or fish-canning factories, where the employment of women beyond the hours specified in the said restrictions is necessary to prevent damage to, or deterioration in, any raw material.

(3) The rules made under sub-section (2) shall remain in force for not more than three years at a time. STATE AMENDMENTS Maharashtra Amendment of section 66 of 63 of 1948 .- In section 66 of the principal Act, in sub-section (1), in clause (b), for the existing proviso, the following proviso shall be substituted, namely :- "Provided that, the women workers may be required or allowed to work even between the hours of 7.00 p.m. and 6.00 a.m. in any factory in which adequate safety and security measures or safeguards as may be prescribed are provided;". [Vide Maharashtra Act 40 of 2015, s. 4]. 1. Omitted by Act 94 of 1976, s. 28 (w.e.f. 26-10-1976). 2. Subs. by s. 29, ibid., for "employed in any factory" (w.e.f. 26-10-1976). 3. Subs. by s. 29, ibid., for "any class or description of factories" (w.e.f. 26-10-1976). 4. Ins. by Act 25 of 1954, s. 17 (w.e.f. 7-5-1954). Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh (UTs) Section 66 .- In sub-section (1), for clause (b), the following clause shall be substituted- "(b) women shall be entitled to be employed in all establishments for all types of work and they may also be employed, with their consent before 6 a.m. and beyond 7 p.m. subject to such conditions relating to safety, holidays and working hours or any other condition, to be observed by the employer, as may be prescribed;". [Vide Union Territory of Ladakh Reorganisation (Adaptation of Central Laws) Order, 2020, notification No. S.O. 3774(E), dated (23-10-2020) and Vide Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Adaptation of Central Laws) Order, 2020, notification No. S.O. 3465(E), dated (5-10-2020).] Uttar Pradesh Amendment of section 66 .- In section 66 of the principal Act, in sub-section (1), in clause (b) for the existing proviso, the following proviso shall be substituted, namely :-- "Provided that the State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, in respect of any factory or group or class or description of factories vary the limits laid down in this clause and such variation may authorise the employment of any woman between the hours of 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. mentioning therein the provisions for the safety and facilities of the woman to be given to her." [Vide Uttar Pradesh Act 13 of 2018, s. 5] CHAPTER VII EMPLOYMENT OF YOUNG PERSONS

Section 66, The Factories Act, 1948 (Act 63 of 1948).