NDMC allowed Muslim employees leave early during Ramzan, scraps order in 24 hrs

The NDMC is the second government agency in Delhi this week to rescind its 60-minute relaxation to Muslim employees who are fasting during Ramzan. The DJB was the first.

NEW DELHI: A day after permitting its Muslim employees to wrap up work an hour earlier during Ramzan, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) on Wednesday withdrew the order after objections from the civic agency’s vice-chairman and BJP leader Satish Upadhyay who told officials that the relaxation on grounds of religion was “unsecular”, people familiar with the matter said.

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has withdrawn it order that let Muslim employees who are fasting during Ramzan to leave early (Amal KS/HT File Photo)

“A circular dated 05/04/2022 was issued for permission to leave their offices at 4.30pm for Muslim employees observing fast during the month of Ramzan with the prior approval of the competent authority. Now the competent authority vide this order has decided to withdraw the circular with immediate effect,” an order issued by assistant labour welfare officer NK Sharma said.

NDMC’s usual working hours are from 9am to 5.30pm. The circular issued on Tuesday allowed NDMC employees who are fasting to leave office by 4.30pm during the month of Ramzan till May 2.

The civic agency’s move comes a day after the Delhi Jal Board rescinded a similar relaxation for its Muslim employees during Ramzan after opposition by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders. Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta had called the DJB’s previous circular “appeasement”.

An NDMC official said it was standard practice for NDMC to permit employees who are fasting during the month of Ramzan to leave office early. The official who spoke on condition of anonymity said the practice was started by government agencies when Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed was the President from 1974 to 1977.

A senior official in one of the three other municipal corporations in Delhi, which is ruled by the BJP, said the MCD also gave similar relaxations to its Muslim employees early during Ramzan because they come to work despite observing fasts.

He said there was no need to issue such an order last year because the coronavirus pandemic was at its peak and most non-essential employees were working from home. This year, the three municipal corporations haven’t issued any formal order permitting Muslim employees to leave early.

A second official posted with the South Delhi Municipal Corporation official said it was a “regular practice” to let Muslim employees leave early during Ramzan for at least 15 years or so. The employee is expected to compensate for the loss in work hours due to the relaxation by working through the lunch break since they are fasting. “But most of the employees do not avail it,” he said on condition of anonymity.