Push to Extend Working Hours in Karnataka Sparks Controversy

In a meeting held on June 18, the Karnataka State Labour Department proposed amendments to the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1961, aimed at increasing working hours for employees.

A similar attempt was made last year to introduce a 14-hour workday. The latest draft proposes the following key changes:

• Working Hours: Maximum daily working hours to be raised from 9 to 10 hours (Section 7(1)).
• Overtime: Total work hours including overtime to increase from 10 to 12 hours a day (First proviso to Section 7(1)).
• Overtime Limit: Overtime cap to rise from 50 to 144 hours over three months (Second proviso to Section 7(1)).
• Exemptions for Small Establishments: Shops and establishments with fewer than 10 employees to be exempted from maintaining statutory registers, submitting annual returns (Form U), and displaying the Act in multiple languages (Rule 24 of the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Rules, 1963).

Defending the proposal, the Labour Department cited directions from the Union Government and noted that states such as Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand have already made similar changes. Recently, the Andhra Pradesh Cabinet also approved a 10-hour workday.

However, the move has triggered strong opposition, particularly from the IT/ITeS sector. The Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union has urged the government to withdraw the proposal, warning that it could adversely impact nearly 20 lakh employees. Labelling it as ‘modern-day slavery,’ the Union argued that the global trend is moving toward reducing working hours and recognising the right to disconnect as a basic right of every employee.