Is working late still a taboo?

Spectre of exploitation is complete humbug
The ban on women working in eateries and commercial establishments after 9.30 pm is complete discrimination. It is a violation of equal rights which are given by the constitution. If some people are raising the spectre of the possibility of exploitation, tell me which field is devoid of the same. There are black sheep in every arena. There are a number of cases of exploitation filed in the court everyday, in many cases the women work during day time with respectable corporate groups. Even in a place like Mumbai, which is considered to be safe for women, why is it that six rape cases have been filed in a single month? It is the government’s duty to provide a secure environment where women can work safely. To ensure this, the government will have to tighten the law and order situation of the state. So definitely the laws should be amended to facilitate that women can work.   
B Manjula, chairperson, Centre for Media and Cultural Studies, TISS

Abuse takes place only when people are illiterate
Laws which debar women from working beyond 9.30 pm are antiquated and antediluvian. The issue is being made out to be a moral one. It is not that if you ban women from working late, there won’t be any exploitation. There are fears raised about flesh trade. But the fact is that, immoral activities can be conducted even from home, one doesn’t need to be in a bar to indulge in it. Women are working for their livelihood, which is their fundamental right. The major issue is that we don’t want to see any immoral behaviour publicly. If people come across violations, people can complain to the authority and then the authority can take action against such bars or eateries. Moreover the issue of exploitation happens when women are illiterate or trapped for such work.
Prahlad Kakkar, advertising professional

Outdated laws violate our rights
A ban on women working in hotels and commercial establishments after 9.30 pm is not justified. Such outdated rules violate the right to livelihood. We should get rid of such laws which are biased against women. There may have been cases of exploitation of women during late hours, but aren’t women exploited during day time as well? I think that by asking women to return home within a stipulated time reeks of chauvinism. Today women are quite capable of taking care of themselves and especially in a city like Mumbai, women feel safe. There may be a few cases of exploitation, but they are aberrations and can be eradicated.     
Sushil Thakur, store manager

Onus on employers to have safeguards
If there are cases where women are harassed, then they should speak to the supervisors or management. The company or organisations which employ women should respect the fact that they are assets and take adequate measures to protect them. For example, when call centre employees leave from a late night shift, they are provided with transport, similar measures can be incorporated. The ban is not justified. Why should rules decide working hours for women? One can see that women are working in night shifts in other professions like advertising and marketing. Everyone has the freedom to choose their means of livelihood.    
Roshni Dadabhoy, media professional

Make laws against harassment stricter 
No, I don’t think the ban is justified, because it violates a woman’s fundamental right to a decent livelihood. Since women are excelling in every field now, the government must reconsider these rules and clauses which hold them back and are detrimental to the prospects of women. Women who choose to work in bars, restaurants and commercial establishments do so not out of choice, but to support their families. Sometimes women are known to prefer working in night shifts, so that they can attend college in the morning. Nowadays, women can take care of themselves. But to create a safer environment, the laws against exploitation and harassment must be made more
stringent.    
Shweta Pokle, student

Create safer environment in society
It perturbs me to think that we live in a society, where we claim that men and women have equal rights. But the reality is quite different, women are given a raw deal. Therefore, if the authorities have safety on their mind, then they should take steps to make society — the environment in which both men and women move about — a safe place. Let the law and order machinery protect women when they come back after night shifts. Regular police patrolling on roads and highways, vigil at railway stations, bus stops, taxi stands are small steps by which safety can be assured to women and others too.      
Debapriya Ghosh, corporate communication professional

Understand why the rule was imposed 
If there was a ban on women working in commercial establishments and restaurants after 9.30 pm, we must think rationally why it was imposed in the first place. The government may have thought about the security issues pertaining to women working in such establishments. Those challenging the rule in the high court don’t seem to appreciate the government’s concern and the organisation seeking a repeal of the rules are not doing the right thing. While it violates the fundamental rights of women to earn their livelihood, if this rule is removed the same organisations will raise their voice against sexual harassment and exploitation. 
Aslam Merchant, businessman