The shop owners’ association wants the state government to extend the closing time for non-essential businesses for the sake of both their employees and also the economy. This will also give them a chance to compete with the e-commerce industry, which currently has complete leeway.

The state government on Friday announced that all the districts should follow Level 3 restrictions, which means shops can remain open from Monday only till 4 pm. This did not sit well with the retailers, who say the restrictions are leading to heavy losses, making it difficult to manage the staff’s salaries and pay rent.