Haryana Assembly Passes Controversial Bill Extending Work Hours

The Haryana Assembly approved a bill to increase daily working hours for commercial employees from nine to ten, maintaining a weekly ceiling of 48 hours. Aimed at easing compliance for smaller businesses and addressing peak demands, the bill sparked debate over workers’ welfare and economic growth.

The Haryana Assembly on Monday approved a contentious bill extending daily working hours from nine to ten for employees at shops and private commercial establishments, while maintaining the weekly limit of 48 hours. The move, presented as a reform to ease business operations, ignited debate regarding its impact on labor welfare.

Labor Minister Anil Vij justified the bill as an essential reform to lower compliance burdens on small businesses, thereby fostering economic growth. He emphasized that the bill would benefit both workers and employers. However, Congress MLA Aditya Surjewala criticized the legislation, questioning whether it promoted business or encroached on workers' rights.

The amendment also proposes to increase permissible overtime from 50 to 156 hours per quarter, arguing it enables businesses to efficiently meet peak demands. With new thresholds for mandatory registration, the bill exempts establishments with fewer than 20 employees from burdensome compliance, a move expected to spur job creation.

(With inputs from agencies.)