India’s Parliament has seen the introduction of the Right to Disconnect Bill, 2025, which aims to protect employees from overwork and constant digital connectivity. The bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha by NCP MP Supriya Sule on December 7, 2025, during the Winter Session of Parliament. It proposes giving workers the legal right to ignore work-related calls, emails, and messages after office hours or on holidays. The bill is a response to rising concerns about stress, burnout, and poor work-life balance among employees in India’s fast-paced digital work culture.
The bill is a private member’s bill, which means it was introduced by a Parliament member who is not part of the government. Private member’s bills in India rarely become law. Most of these bills are debated and then withdrawn or do not progress further. However, the Right to Disconnect Bill has sparked an important conversation about mental health, employee welfare, and the need for regulated work hours in India.
The Right to Disconnect Bill proposes the creation of an Employees’ Welfare Authority. This authority would protect employees’ rights and ensure employers follow the rules laid out in the bill. It would also make guidelines on after-hours communication and handle disputes between employees and companies. The aim is to give workers a clear legal framework to prevent harassment or pressure to work beyond office hours.
MP Supriya Sule explained that the bill intends to improve “quality of life and healthier work-life balance” by reducing stress caused by excessive digital communication. It would mean that employees are not legally required to respond to work messages, emails, or calls once their official workday ends.
Along with the Right to Disconnect Bill, Sule introduced two other private member’s bills to improve worker rights:
Paternity and Paternal Benefits Bill, 2025 – This bill proposes paid leave for fathers to help them take part in early childcare and support family responsibilities.
Code on Social Security (Amendment) Bill, 2025 – This bill aims to recognize gig workers as a separate category and ensure they receive minimum wages, regulated working hours, social security, and fair contracts.
A day before Sule’s bill, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor introduced another private member’s bill to amend the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020. His bill focuses on limiting working hours, legally securing the right to disconnect, and creating strong grievance and mental health support systems for employees.
Tharoor highlighted worrying statistics: 51% of India’s workforce works more than 49 hours a week, and 78% of employees report experiencing burnout. He referred to the death of young professional Anna Sebastian Perayil as a tragic example of the risks of overwork.
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Since the Right to Disconnect Bill is a private member’s bill, its chances of becoming law are uncertain. In India, private member’s bills rarely pass, but they play an important role in raising awareness and initiating discussion on crucial issues. Even if the bill does not become law immediately, it is likely to influence government policies and workplace practices over time.
The bill also brings attention to broader employee welfare issues. For instance, it encourages companies to respect boundaries between work and personal life, especially in the digital era where employees are constantly connected through emails, messaging apps, and calls.
Experts note that the bill is timely because overwork and digital stress are growing problems. By legally protecting the right to disconnect, India could set an example in promoting employee health and mental well-being. It may also push employers to rethink workplace culture and create policies that support flexible working hours without overburdening staff.
In summary, the Right to Disconnect Bill seeks to improve the lives of workers by giving them legal protection against excessive after-hours work communication. While its passage in Parliament is uncertain, it has revived an important debate on work-life balance, mental health, and the rights of employees in India’s modern work environment.
The bill highlights the need for structured rules for employee welfare, including grievance mechanisms, mental health support, and clear boundaries between work and personal life. It also reflects growing concern over burnout, stress, and the negative effects of long working hours, particularly in the IT and service sectors.
By introducing the Right to Disconnect Bill, lawmakers hope to create a healthier, more balanced work environment and to encourage employers to take responsibility for the well-being of their employees. Even if the bill does not become law immediately, it has opened the door for ongoing discussions on the legal recognition of workers’ rights to disconnect and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
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