RIGHT TO DISCONNECT BILL 2025: LEGAL ANALYSIS, STATUTES, CONSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK & WORK-LIFE BALANCE DEBATE
INTRODUCTION Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule has reintroduced “The Right to Disconnect Bill, 2025” , a private member's bill aimed at protecting employees from work-related communication outside official working hours. The Bill seeks to address the rising burnout associated with digital work culture, especially in an era where remote work and continuous connectivity have blurred the boundaries between professional and personal life. The new proposal arrives amid a national debate on work-life balance, triggered by statements from top industry leaders advocating extreme working hours. PURPOSE OF THE RIGHT TO DISCONNECT BILL 2025 The Bill seeks to safeguard employees from excessive employer contact beyond work hours by providing: A statutory right to refuse calls, emails, and messages after working hours . A protection from disciplinary action if employees decline communication. A provision for overtime pay if employees voluntarily respond beyond hours. A framework for...