Haryana Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025

1. Introduction

The Haryana Shops & Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 introduces significant changes aimed at simplifying compliance, digitizing processes, enhancing operational flexibility, and improving worker documentation. This brief provides a clear comparison between the previous legal framework and the new 2025 provisions. Effective from 12 November, 2025

2. Applicability & Scope

Previous Law

• Applied broadly to most establishments regardless of size.
• No differential compliance threshold.

2025 Ordinance

• Full compliance applicable only to establishments employing 20 or more workers.
• Establishments with less than 20 workers only need to submit a simple online intimation instead of full registration.

3. Registration System

Previous Law

• Physical/legacy registration system.
• Renewal required periodically.
• Limited clarity on change of details or closure procedures.

2025 Ordinance

• Mandatory online registration for establishments with ≥20 workers.
• Registration certificate is valid permanently (no renewals).
• Changes in details must be reported online within specified timelines.
• Establishment closure must be reported online within 30 days.

4. Working Hours & Overtime Changes

Working Hours

Overtime

5. Employee Documentation Requirements

Previous Law

• No mandatory appointment letter requirement.
• Identity cards not compulsory.

2025 Ordinance

• Employers must issue appointment letters with photograph.
• Identity cards mandatory for all employees.
• Digital record-keeping encouraged.

6. Penalties & Enforcement

Previous Law

• Many offences were criminal in nature, including imprisonment.
• Penalties were inconsistent and lower.

2025 Ordinance

• Decriminalization: Imprisonment removed for most offences.
• Introduces structured monetary penalties:
  • First offence: ₹3,000 – ₹10,000.
  • Continuing offence: ₹500 per day.
• Stricter penalties for falsification of records.
• References updated from IPC to Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

7. Ease of Doing Business Enhancements

• Reduced compliance burden for small establishments.
• Fully digital processes for registration, updates, closure, and record-keeping.
• Increased operational flexibility due to higher working-hour and overtime limits.
• Clearer enforcement framework centered on financial penalties rather than criminal action.

8. Conclusion

The 2025 Ordinance modernizes Haryana’s shop and establishment regulatory environment by combining digital governance, simplified compliance, relaxed working-hour norms, and worker documentation safeguards. It balances ease of doing business with strengthened worker rights.

Haryana Government Gazette
EXTRAORDINARY
Published by Authority
© Govt. of Haryana

CHANDIGARH, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2025
(KARTIKA 21, 1947 SAKA)

LEGISLATIVE SUPPLEMENT
CONTENTS

HARYANA GOVERNMENT
LAW AND LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT
Notification
The 12th November, 2025

No. Leg. 27/2025.— The following Ordinance of the Governor of Haryana promulgated under clause (1) of article 213 of the Constitution of India, on the 11th November, 2025, is hereby published for general information:-

HARYANA ORDINANCE NO. 4 OF 2025

THE HARYANA SHOPS AND COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS
(AMENDMENT) ORDINANCE, 2025
AN
ORDINANCE

further to amend the Haryana Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1958.

Promulgated by the Governor of Haryana in the Seventy-sixth Year of the Republic of India.

Whereas the Legislature of the State of Haryana is not in session and the Governor of Haryana is satisfied that circumstances exist which render it necessary for him to take immediate action;

Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (1) of article 213 of the Constitution of India, the Governor of Haryana is hereby promulgate the following Ordinance:-

1. Short title and commencement.

(1) This Ordinance may be called the Haryana Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025.

(2) It shall come into force from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.

2. Amendment of section 1 of Punjab Act 15 of 1958.

After sub-section (4) of section 1 of the Haryana Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1958 (hereinafter called the principal Act), the following sub-section shall be added, namely :-

“(5) The provisions of this Act except section 13A shall apply to the shops and establishments employing twenty or more workers and provisions of section 13A of this Act shall apply to the shops and establishments employing less than twenty workers.”.

3. Amendment of section 7 of Punjab Act 15 of 1958.

In section 7 of the principal Act ,-

i. in sub-section (1), for the words “nine hours”, the words “ten hours” shall be substituted; and

ii. in sub-section (2), in the proviso, in clause (a), for the word “fifty”, the words and sign “one hundred fifty-six” shall be substituted.

4. Amendment of section 8 of Punjab Act 15 of 1958.

In sub-section (1) of section 8 of the principal Act, for the words “five hours”, the words

“six hours” shall be substituted.

5. Substitution of section 13 of Punjab Act 15 of 1958.

For section 13 of the principal Act, the following sections shall be substituted, namely :-

“13. Registration of establishments.- (1) The employer of every establishment employing twenty or more workers shall, within a period of one month from the date of commencement of his business, submit an application online in such form, together with such fee and documents, as may be prescribed, containing-

a. the name of the employer and the manager, if any;

b. postal address along with GPS location of the establishment;

c. name of the establishment;

d. number of persons employed in the establishment;

e. nature of the business of an establishment; and

f. such other particulars, as may be prescribed.

2. On receipt of an application along with documents and fee, the Inspector shall verify the correctness of the application and documents attached thereto and on being satisfied shall issue online registration certificate to the employer in such form, as may be prescribed within the time limit as notified under the Haryana Right to Service Act, 2014 (4 of 2014).

3. A registration certificate issued under sub-section (2) shall be valid until it is amended or cancelled upon closing of the establishment or revoked by the Inspector after verification, on such conditions and manner, as may be prescribed.

4. It shall be the duty of the employer to intimate the Inspector online, any change in the particulars furnished in the application submitted for registration within a period of seven days after the change has taken place, in such form, as may be prescribed.

5. In case of change with regard to the name of establishment, employer, manager and work force details, the employer shall make an application for amended registration certificate as per the provisions of sub-section (2) and no fee shall be charged for issuance of amended registration certificate.

6. The employer shall intimate to the Inspector online about closing of the establishment, within thirty days of closing. The Inspector shall, on receiving the information and being satisfied about the correctness, remove the name of such establishment from the register of establishment and cancel the registration certificate.

7. In case of any contravention of, or failure to comply with the provisions of this section, the employer shall be liable to a penalty which shall not be less than three thousand rupees but may extend to ten thousand rupees for the first violation and in case of second violation, he shall be liable to a penalty which shall not be less than five thousand rupees but may extend to twenty-five thousand rupees:

Provided that in case of continuous subsequent violation, the competent authority, as specified by the Government, may impose penalty at the rate of five hundred rupees for every day.

13A. Intimation of establishment employing less than twenty workers.- The employer of every establishment employing less than twenty workers shall, within a period of one month from the date of commencement of his business, submit online intimation to the Inspector in such form, as may be prescribed. The employer providing intimation shall be provided a Basic Information Performa ID Number.”.

6. Amendment of section 19 of Punjab Act 15 of 1958.

In sub-section (3) of section 19 of the principal Act, for the words and figure “section 21 of the Indian Penal Code”, the words, figures and brackets “clause (28) of section 2 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (Central Act 45 of 2023)” shall be substituted.

7. Amendment of section 20 of Punjab Act 15 of 1958.

For sub-sections (5) and (6) of section 20 of the principal Act, the following sub-sections shall be substituted, namely :-

“(5) In the case of any contravention of the foregoing provisions of this section, the employer of an establishment shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding five hundred rupees for every day during which the contravention occurs or continues.

(6) If any person with intent to deceive, makes, or causes, or allows to be made, in any such record, register or notice as aforesaid an entry which is to his knowledge false in any material particular, or wilfully omits or causes or allows to be omitted from any such record, register or notice an entry required to be made therein, he shall be liable to a penalty which shall not be less than three thousand rupees but may extend to ten thousand rupees for the first violation and in case of second violation, he shall be liable to a penalty which shall not be less than five thousand rupees but may extend to twenty-five thousand rupees:

Provided that in case of continuous subsequent violation, the competent authority, as specified by the Government may impose penalty at the rate of five hundred rupees for every day.”.

8. Insertion of section 20A and 20B in Punjab Act 15 of 1958.

After section 20 of the principal Act, the following sections shall be inserted, namely:-

“20A. Appointment letter.- Every employer of an establishment shall furnish to all his employees with the letter of appointment, having affixed the photograph of employee and obtain acknowledgement thereto.

20B. Identity card.- Every employer of an establishment shall furnish to every worker an identity card containing such particulars, as may be prescribed.”.

9. Amendment of section 21 of Punjab Act 15 of 1958.

For sub-section (2) of section 21 of the principal Act, the following sub-section shall be substituted, namely:-

“(2) Whoever contravenes the provisions of sub-section (1) or wilfully obstructs the inspecting authority in the exercise of the powers under this Act or conceals or prevents any employee in an establishment from appearing before or being examined by the authority, shall be liable to a penalty which shall not be less than three thousand rupees but which may extend to ten thousand rupees.”.

10. Substitution of section 26 of Punjab Act 15 of 1958.

For section 26 of the principal Act, the following section shall be substituted, namely :-

“26. Penalties.- Subject to the other provisions of this Act, whoever contravenes any of the provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder and no penalty has been provided for such contravention in this Act, shall be liable to a penalty which shall not be less than three thousand rupees but which may extend to ten thousand rupees for the first violation and in case of second violation, he shall be liable to a penalty which shall not be less than five thousand rupees but may extend to twenty-five thousand rupees:

Provided that in case of continuous subsequent violation, the competent authority, as specified by the Government may impose penalty at the rate of five hundred rupees for every day.”.

CHANDIGARH:
THE 11th November, 2025.

PROF. ASHIM KUMAR GHOSH
GOVERNOR OF HARYANA

RITU GARG,
ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT, HARYANA,
LAW AND LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT.
12213—L.R.—H.G.P., Pkl.