The West Bengal assembly on Wednesday passed a bill to allow women to work in bars.
The West Bengal Finance Bill, 2025, was tabled by MoS Chandrima Bhattacharya in the assembly.
It seeks to amend the Bengal Excise Act, 1909, “to remove the prohibition on employment of woman in ON category liquor shops as such provision is discriminatory”, among others.
While ‘Of’ shops are outlets that sell liquor, at ‘On’ shops, consumption of liquor is allowed on the premises.
Concluding the discussions on the Bill, Bhattacharya said the state government does not believe in discrimination between men and women.
Among other provisions in the Bill, it empowers the state government to monitor the supply of various raw materials, including jaggery, to prevent illegal liquor brewing, she said.