'I’m not for it, people are already...': Karnataka labour minister opposes controversial 12-hour workday proposal

Karnataka Labour Minister Santosh Lad opposed a proposal to extend work hours from nine to ten daily.

Updated on: Jun 24, 2025, 12:29:13 IST

By Yamini C S, Bengaluru

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Karnataka’s Labour Minister Santosh Lad has expressed reservations about a recent government proposal that would extend the standard workday from nine to ten hours. The state government is reviewing an extensive overhaul of its labour regulations. Discussions are underway around potential amendments to the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act. These changes could permit workdays stretching up to 12 hours and increase the allowable overtime limits considerably.

Discussions are underway around potential amendments to the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act. (Freepik)

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"To me, right now it doesn't look good, as people are already working for nine hours. The new proposal suggests increasing work hours from nine to 10 hours daily, with a cap of 48 hours in a week. I will call every stakeholder, unions and talk to them and take their opinions as the proposal has come from central govt. Prima facie, I am not for it," he said, as quoted by news agency ANI.

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Specifically, proposed updates to the 1961 Act and its 1963 Rules would move the legal daily work limit from 9 to 10 hours and authorize up to 12 hours of overtime in a single day. Moreover, the current ceiling of 50 overtime hours over three months could rise dramatically to 144 hours under the new plan.

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The proposals have triggered sharp criticism from several labour unions, who argue that such measures risk undermining employee welfare. Some have labelled the proposed change as “modern-day slavery.” Critics warned that longer workdays could erode work-life balance and heighten job insecurity, particularly in sectors like IT. Union leaders are now calling for collective resistance from workers to prevent these changes from taking effect.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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