'Not Bargaining Chips': IT Union Opposes Karnataka's Self-Certification Policy On Labour Laws
Self-certification is nothing but the government's withdrawal from its constitutional and statutory responsibility to enforce labour laws, KITU said.
The Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union (KITU) has opposed the state government’s decision to permit all information technology and IT-enabled services companies to file self-certification for labour law compliance.
"Labour rights cannot be treated as bargaining chips to attract investment or appease corporate lobbies," the KITU said in a statement shared on X.
Notably, the Karnataka IT Policy 2025-2030 was released by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday, during the Bengaluru Tech Summit.
A provision in this policy is presented as a "non-fiscal incentive" and comes along with the extension of the exemption from the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act for another five years, KITU said in a statement.
"Self-certification is nothing but the government's withdrawal from its constitutional and statutory responsibility to enforce labour laws. By allowing corporations to self-declare compliance, the Government and the Labour Department are abdicating their role as custodians of labour governance, enforcement, and inspection. This effectively grants corporates a free hand to violate labour laws without fear of scrutiny," the IT employees union said.
The statement alleged the government is eager to appease corporate interests at the cost of workers' rights, dignity, and well-being.
"The IT/ITES sector is already notorious for widespread labour law violations, including excessive working hours, forced terminations, denial of leave, and unsafe workloads that are taking a severe toll on the physical and mental health of lakhs of employees in the industry. The combination of Standing Orders exemption and self-certification leaves employees with virtually no enforceable labour rights," it said.
KITU said a lack of binding service conditions and government oversight could leave workers vulnerable to unchecked "exploitation".
Expanding Beyond Bengaluru
The state Congress government unveiled the new IT policy this week, proposing a wide range of financial and non-financial incentives to accelerate investments, deepen innovation and expand the state’s technology footprint beyond Bengaluru.
The cabinet led by Siddaramaiah cleared the policy with an outlay of Rs 445 crore, following approval from the state finance department.
The policy introduces 16 incentives across five enabler categories, nine of them entirely new, with a strong emphasis on supporting companies setting up or expanding in emerging cities.
Along with financial benefits, the government is offering labour-law relaxations, 24/7 operational permissions and industry-ready human capital programmes aimed at positioning Karnataka as a globally competitive and “AI-native” destination, according to a Hindustan Times report.
