Shops and commercial establishments in Tamil Nadu will now operate 24 hours on all seven days with the state goverment issuing an order to the effect Thursday.
The order, pegged for a three-year period, is expected to give a boost to the traders community.
The government order (GO) also lays emphasis on safety of women employed in these units.
According to the GO, every employee shall be given a weekly holiday on rotation basis while the respective employer exhibits details of the employees who are on leave.
The order also warned of action against those employers who make employees work after their duty hours.
For women employees, it said they would not be required to work beyond 8 pm on any day "in normal circumstances."