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VOL. 8, ISSUE 1 (2026)
From workplace control to digital autonomy: A legal study of India’s Right to Disconnect Bill
Authors
Mohammad Sohail Alam, Dr. Ravindra Pratap Singh
Abstract
The expansion of
digital communication technologies has fundamentally altered contemporary
workplaces by eroding the temporal and spatial boundaries between professional
and personal life. Constant connectivity has increased efficiency and
flexibility, but it has also created a culture of constant availability, which
has resulted in long workdays, an unbalanced work-life schedule, mental
exhaustion, and widespread burnout. This article conducts a thorough legal
examination of the new idea of the "right to disconnect" in the
Indian context, placing it at the nexus of human dignity, labour law,
constitutional values, privacy, and mental health. The Private Member's Right
to Disconnect Bill, which was introduced in the Lok Sabha in 2025, is
critically examined in light of India's heavily connected workforce and growing
levels of occupational stress. It examines the normative underpinnings,
statutory structure, employer responsibilities, grievance redressal procedures,
and anti-retaliation protections of the Bill. The study assesses the possible
advantages and real-world difficulties of enacting such a right in India using
empirical data showing excessive after-hours work and comparative insights from
countries like France, Spain, Belgium, and Australia. The paper makes the case
that, although a legal acknowledgment of the right to disconnect could greatly
improve worker productivity, well-being, and respectable work practices, its
effectiveness depends on a calibrated and adaptable regulatory framework.
Through reasonableness standards, industry-specific exclusions, and societal
discourse, it highlights the necessity of striking a balance between employees'
digital autonomy and employers' justifiable managerial and operational
responsibilities. In the conclusion, the study argues that the shift from
workplace management to digital autonomy is not just a legal reform but also a
larger institutional and cultural shift that is necessary for India's digital labour
to be governed sustainably and humanely.
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Pages:233-238
How to cite this article:
Mohammad Sohail Alam, Dr. Ravindra Pratap Singh "From workplace control to digital autonomy: A legal study of India’s Right to Disconnect Bill". International Journal of Law, Policy and Social Review, Vol 8, Issue 1, 2026, Pages 233-238
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