Gujarat Assembly Passes Ease of Doing Business Bill 2026 Allowing 24x7 Shop Operations

Key facts

• The Gujarat Assembly passed the Gujarat Ease of Doing Business Bill 2026 by a majority vote, introduced by Minister of State for Industries Dr Jayram Gamit, amending 12 provisions across five existing state laws.
• Amendments to the Shops and Establishments Act allow shops and retail outlets in Gujarat to operate 24x7, subject to terms and conditions; the 24x7 provision originally dates back to 2019 under then-CM Vijay Rupani but was limited by COVID-19 restrictions.
• New business registration is streamlined through a self-declaration framework, eliminating physical verification at the entry stage.
• Fire safety compliance under the Gujarat Fire Prevention Act is now based on risk-based categorization according to building type and risk profile.
• Eight additional state legislations covering power supply, GIDC industrial estates, cooperatives, and irrigation were integrated into the MSME facilitation framework to strengthen the Right to Business.
• Under the Right of Citizens to Public Services Act, an automated system will trigger auto-appeal to higher authorities if departments fail to resolve applications within the stipulated timeframe.
• Amendments to the Medical Council Act allow doctors registered in other Indian states to complete local registration in Gujarat swiftly through self-declaration.