The registration of the Shops and Establishments Act is conducted under the Labour Department in Andhra Pradesh. It is done state-wise throughout the country, implying that state-level labour departments are quite relevant. Through the Shop’s registration licence, the Labour Department works of maintaining a few standardisations across industries. Some of these are ensuring regular payment of wages and compensation, safety, welfare, working hours, holidays, leave, bonuses and gratuity, employment of women and children, various HR aspects and many other requirements, often taken for granted, for workers. The labour department also helps by promoting the welfare and social security of workers by implementing schemes. Furthermore, it assists with the promotion and implementation of welfare and social security schemes.
Major businesses in Andhra Pradesh need to apply for and receive a licence under the Shops and Establishment Act, 1988, which applies to all factories, shops, commercial establishments, restaurants, theatres, societies and trusts.
In 2014, there was a split in Andhra Pradesh, creating a smaller state, Telangana. Since the bifurcation of the two states, the Telangana government continued following the Andhra Pradesh Shops and Establishment Act of 1988.
Every establishment has to file for their registration under the Shops Act within 30 days from the commencement of business. This rule stays constant across the country. These registration forms and licence are a basic requirement often used as proof of business when applying for other registrations needed to run companies in India.
An establishment can obtain registration certificates from the chief inspector of the Shops Act, or other inspectors delegated to the location where the business is running.
People running establishments have to log on to the official website of the Labour Department
and apply for the certificate by filling out the applications, submitting additional documentation,
and paying the fees. Some of the documents needed to make this work are
* The name of the establishment along with the postal address
* The category of the establishment stating whether it is a shop, commercial establishment,
residential hotel, restaurant, theatre or any place of public amusement or entertainment
* A copy of sale deed or rental agreement
* Name and details of the owner (employer) and the employees (at the time of incorporation
of business)
* The permanent account number (PAN) card details of the company or owner.
All the information provided has to check out and match the supporting documents in terms of facts and spellings. Applicants have a fortnight to correct any errors or typos and inform the chief inspector.
The Shop licence registration certificate has to be renewed every year or depending on the details mentioned when it was created. Businesses should make sure the application for the renewal of the registration certificate reaches the inspector no later than thirty days before the licence expires.
People running establishments should mandatorily notify the chief inspector in writing, within 15 days of closing the establishment. It is a requirement that the inspector removes it from the register of establishments and cancels the registration certificate after completing an investigation.