Bengal Lifts Ban On Women Working in Bars: Is This The Beginning Of The Shattering Of Gender Norms?

West Bengal Assembly Passes Bill To Allow Women To Work In Bars

The West BengalAssembly on Wednesday approved a bill allowing women to work in bars. As per NDTV report, the bill proposes an amendment to the Bengal Excise Act, 1909, aiming to lift the ban on employing women in ON-category liquor shops, as the restriction is considered discriminatory.

While 'Of' shops are liquor outlets that only sell alcohol, 'On' shops allow customers to consume liquor on the premises.

Wrapping up discussions on the bill, Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya stated that the state government opposes gender-based discrimination and believes in equal opportunities for men and women.

Additionally, the bill grants the state government authority to regulate the supply of raw materials like jaggery to curb the production of illegal liquor.

Furthermore, it introduces amendments to the Bengal Agricultural Income-tax Act, 1944, providing tax relief to the tea industry, particularly smaller tea gardens struggling since the pandemic.

The bill clarifies that implementing its provisions will not have any financial implications.

Don't Miss:Disha Salian Case: Father Of Sushant Singh Rajput's Ex-Manager Moves Bombay HC, Claims She Was Raped And Murdered

India’s Employment Laws Have Long Restricted Women, Is Change Finally Here?

According to a report by India Development Review, 24 states in India have laws restricting women's participation in various factory operations. Among these, 11 states prohibit women from working night shifts. These restrictions stem from two primary laws- The Factories Act, 1948, at the national level and the state-specific shops and commercial establishments laws. Governments argue that these regulations are necessary to protect women from sexual violence and the physical strain of long working hours.

Outdated labour laws continue to exclude women from certain professions deemed unsuitable due to societal gender norms, including employment in liquor establishments. These prohibitions are based on the belief that women serving alcohol in public is morally inappropriate. For instance, the Punjab Excise Act, 1914, justifies this ban by stating that it prevents women from developing alcohol addictions and reduces the risk of conflicts or sexual offences.

For years, West Bengal was among the 10 most populous states that entirely barred women from the alcohol service industry. Even in states where women can work in this sector, their employment is regulated based on the type of alcohol being served, a rule that appears arbitrary.

Don't Miss:Yuzvendra Chahal-Dhanashree Verma Divorce: Bombay High Court Speeding Up Legal Proceedings? Here's Why

India categorises alcohol into two types: country liquor and foreign liquor. Some states permit women to serve one while prohibiting the other. For example, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra allow women to sell or serve foreign liquor but not country liquor, whereas Andhra Pradesh permits women to handle country liquor but not foreign liquor. In Telangana, women can obtain a licence to sell foreign liquor but cannot work in establishments serving it.

With West Bengal now removing such restrictions, does this signal a shift towards redefining traditional gender norms in India?

Keep reading Herzindagi for more such stories.

Credits: Freepik