The Karnataka government’s proposed amendment to the Shops and Commercial Establishments Act—which seeks to increase the daily work limit from 9 hours to 10 hours, with a maximum cap of 12 hours including overtime—has sparked intense public and online debate. The proposal also raises the quarterly overtime ceiling from 50 to 144 hours, a jump of nearly 188%. While officials claim that this move is aimed at boosting the productivity of sectors like IT and services, the backlash from labor unions has been swift and vocal. Major unions such as the Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union (KITU) and the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) have denounced the draft law as exploitative, warning it could lead to health deterioration, job losses, and a dismantling of existing shift-based systems.
The announcement also triggered a wave of social media reactions, with platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Reddit lighting up with memes and criticism. Many users humorously dubbed the proposal “Narayana Murthy Hours,” a reference to the Infosys co-founder’s past statement advocating a 70-hour workweek. Tech employees, in particular, expressed dismay, stating that long hours are already the norm and formalizing such practices would further burden the workforce. Online communities highlighted the risk of mental burnout, increased stress, and declining work-life balance.
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As pressure mounts, the Karnataka government has announced that it will initiate stakeholder consultations before pushing the amendment forward. However, the prevailing mood on the ground and online remains deeply critical, with demands for more worker-friendly reforms and stronger labor protections.
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