UP Govt Reverses Decision to Increase Working Hours From 8 to 12, Informs Allahabad High Court

Lucknow, May 16: The Uttar Pradesh government reversed the decision of increasing working hours from 8 to 12, reports said on Saturday. The state has informed the Allahabad High Court, where a public interest litigation (PIL) is listed for hearing on May 18 against the now-withdrawn decision of the government. The petitioner had alleged exploitation of labour if manufacturing units are permitted to increasing their per-day working time beyond 8 hours.

Uttar Pradesh principal secretary (labour) Suresh Chandra, while speaking to reporters, confirmed that a communication note was sent to the court on May 15, informing that the state has decided to change its ordinance which proposed 12-hour workdays for labourers in manufacturing and production companies. Odisha Govt Increases Daily Working Hours From 8 To 12 Hours in Factories with Payment of Overtime.

The government, however, has not decided to completely rescind the proposal to increase the working hours. The ordinance has been amended and now proposes to increase the period of per day labour from 8 to 10 hours.

"The Ordinance has proposed that if the working hour has to go up from 10 hours in a day then the consent of the workers is also required," a senior officer was quoted as saying by Business Standard, on condition of anonymity.

Several other Indian states including Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Goa, MP, Uttarakhand, Assam, Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh have also reportedly amended the labour laws to increase the working period to upto 12 hours. The move is seen as a measure to ramp up production and compensate for the time lost due to coronavirus lockdown.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 16, 2020 06:31 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).