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Karnataka Labour Minister Santosh Lad on Thursday said that his department has sought an explanation from Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) over reports of large-scale layoffs. “We received information yesterday that TCS has laid off around 12000 employees. Our department has summoned TCS officials for a consultation to understand the reasons behind the move” the minister told reporters. What K’taka Minister Said On TCS Layoffs? He said Sunrise Industries have been exempted from labour laws but there are conditions attached. We have kept the sunrise companies outside the ambit of labour laws and for the past five years we have been giving them exemption year after year but yet there are conditions attached Lad said. A sunrise sector refers to a new or relatively new industry that is experiencing rapid growth and is expected to become a significant driver of the economy in the future. If they want to layoff somebody they have to give us information. Accordingly we are talking to them he added. Why is TCS Laying off 12000 Employees? TCS had indicated that it is set to lay off about 2 per cent or 12261 employees of its global workforce this year with the majority of those impacted belonging to middle and senior grades. As of June 30 2025 TCSs workforce stood at 613069. It increased its workforce by 5000 employees in the recently concluded April-June quarter. The move is part of the companys broader strategy to become a future-ready organisation focusing on investments in technology AI deployment market expansion and workforce realignment TCS said in a statement. In a statement the union said it has demanded legal action against the management for violations of the provisions of the Industrial Disputes Act 1947 as well as the conditions imposed by the Government of Karnataka concerning the reporting of service particulars. What Govt Said On Increasing Working Hours? Minister Lad said another reason behind calling TCS and other industries was to convey to them that the government is not accepting their request for increasing working hours by nine to 10 hours a day Lad said. He said if the employees are ready to work then we will consider their request as per the guidelines and give our permission. This is subject to the employees wishes. Those employees who reject the permission will not be forced to do it” he explained. The Minister also said in his opinion it is difficult to implement increasing working hours because at least four hours are needed to travel to the workplace. While one has to work for eight hours and given the strenuous traffic scenario in Bengaluru one ends up spending at least three to four hours on travelling everyday. As Minister also when I see this proposal of increasing the working hours I feel that it is not scientific. Increasing working hours can happen for a week or 10 days but not throughout the year in view of Bengaluru traffic” Lad explained. He also said that there was nothing wrong with the claim by those representing industry that increasing working hours will benefit employees and industry. However those employees who agree to increase their working hours have to give in writing but we cannot implement it across the board the Minister noted. (With Inputs From PTI)