Supriya Sule Introduces ‘Right to Disconnect’ Bill in Lok Sabha

The Lok Sabha on Friday witnessed the formal introduction of the “Right to Disconnect Bill, 2025”, a private member’s bill moved by NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) MP Supriya Sule. The legislation seeks to grant every employee in India a statutory right to completely disregard work-related calls, emails, messages, or any form of official communication once office hours conclude, on weekends, and during declared holidays.

If enacted, the bill would require the constitution of a dedicated Employees’ Welfare Authority empowered to frame guidelines, hear grievances, and impose penalties on employers who violate the mandated disconnection period. It explicitly prohibits any adverse action against workers who exercise this right, aiming to curb the pervasive culture of round-the-clock availability that has intensified with remote working and digital communication tools.

Though private member’s bills have historically faced negligible chances of becoming law and are usually withdrawn after the government furnishes its stand, the very introduction of the Right to Disconnect Bill has triggered widespread discussion across social media and corporate circles. It highlights growing resentment against unpaid overtime, mental health concerns, and the blurring of boundaries between professional and personal life in India’s high-pressure work environment.

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The winter session also saw Congress MP Kadiyam Kavya introduce the Menstrual Benefits Bill, 2024, which proposes a comprehensive legal framework to ensure sanitary facilities, rest areas, flexible timing, and medical support for women employees during menstruation. Simultaneously, LJP (Ram Vilas) MP Shambhavi Choudhary tabled a separate bill mandating paid menstrual leave for working women and female students, along with mandatory provision of hygiene products and awareness programmes in workplaces and educational institutions.

Among other significant proposals, Congress MP Manickam Tagore moved a bill to exempt Tamil Nadu from the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for undergraduate medical admissions, Independent MP Vishaldada Prakashbapu Patil introduced legislation to prevent violence against journalists and protect their properties, while BJP MP Ganesh Singh proposed mandatory wider use of Hindi in Supreme Court proceedings, judgments, and orders, reflecting the diverse and often contentious priorities dominating the current Parliament session.

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