New Delhi: The concept of the Right to Disconnect has become a central point in India’s ongoing conversation about work–life balance and digital overload, particularly following the reintroduction of a private member’s bill in the Lok Sabha. The Right to Disconnect refers to an employee’s legal right to decline engagement in work-related communications—such as phone calls, emails, or messages—outside official working hours or on holidays. This move reflects a growing sentiment that constant connectivity in a hyper-connected world allows employers to increasingly encroach on personal time, leading to significant stress and burnout.
The Right to Disconnect Bill, 2025 has been recently introduced by Nationalist Congress Party MP Supriya Sule, who had previously tabled a similar proposal in 2019. The bill aims to formally recognize and confer this right upon every employee, fostering a better quality of life and a healthier work–life balance by mitigating burnout stemming from digital culture. Reinforcing this objective, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has also introduced the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which seeks to cap work hours, legally establish the right to disconnect, and implement stronger mental-health safeguards. The bill’s rationale highlights that round-the-clock availability often fuels stress, sleep deprivation, info-obesity caused by constant digital overload, and telepressure, which is the persistent urge to reply to calls and emails.
The proposed bill outlines several key provisions intended to safeguard employee well-being. Under the draft legislation, employees would possess the legal right to ignore after-hours work communications without fear of disciplinary action such as dismissal, demotion, or loss of benefits. A crucial element of the bill is the mandate to establish an Employees’ Welfare Authority. This authority would be tasked with conducting a national baseline study to assess the burden of digital communication outside work hours, monitoring digital overuse, and overseeing implementation across sectors. Furthermore, companies with more than ten employees would be required to negotiate with workers or unions to define terms for work performed beyond office hours, ensuring that any resulting overtime is compensated at normal wage rates. To support staff managing work–life boundaries, the bill also requires the government and employers to set up counseling services and digital detox centers. Companies found in violation of these mandates could face penalties amounting to one percent of their total remuneration payout.
While the Right to Disconnect Bill is being debated nationally, some jurisdictions in India have already advanced the initiative. Kerala, for instance, has taken a decisive lead by becoming the first Indian state to introduce its own Right to Disconnect Bill, 2025, granting private-sector employees the legal right to ignore work-related electronic communication outside prescribed hours. This initiative aligns with international trends, as countries like France (a pioneer in 2017), Portugal, Australia (enacted in 2024), Belgium, and Spain have already instituted similar regulations to protect workers from burnout in the digital age.
Despite the significance of the issues addressed and the clear need to manage boundaries between professional and personal life, the future of the bill remains uncertain due to its status as a private member’s bill. A private member’s bill is introduced by a Member of Parliament who is not a minister. Historically, such proposals rarely become law and are typically withdrawn after the government responds to them. Since India’s independence, only fourteen private member’s bills have been enacted, with the most recent having become law in 1970. Nevertheless, the introduction of this bill brings the growing debate pitting productivity goals against employee well-being to the forefront, placing India at an important crossroads in its journey toward labor-law reform.
