The Karnataka Labor Department has reportedly given a clean chit to tech giant Infosys in the recent case of mass layoffs, sparking outrage from the Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES). Nearly 400 trainee employees were terminated from Infosys’ Mysuru training facility on February 7, prompting NITES, an organisation working for the welfare of IT employees, to lodge a complaint with the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment. In response, the Ministry directed the Karnataka Labour Department to investigate the matter.
However, according to a report by Times of India, the Labour Department has completed its probe and found no legal violations by Infosys. “We have not found any violation of labour laws in our inspection at Infosys. There was no employee-employer relationship between them in the first place. They were not even given appointment letters to be considered employees. They were trainees for three months who were paid stipends and were part of the apprenticeship programme,” an official is quoted as saying.
However, NITES has strongly condemned the Labour Department’s handling of the case, criticising its lack of communication with the complainants before closing the investigation. In a statement issued on February 28, NITES called the department's actions “shocking” and “unacceptable”.
“As the official complainant representing hundreds of affected employees, it is shocking and unacceptable that the Department has chosen to communicate the outcome of the inquiry to the media without providing any official update to the complainants. This blatant disregard for the complainants' right to information casts serious doubt on the transparency, impartiality, and integrity of the entire investigation process,” the statement read.
NITES further questioned the integrity of the investigation, arguing that selectively disclosing findings to the media without prior consultation or notification to the complainants raises serious concerns about fairness and impartiality.
“This conduct not only shows administrative bias but also creates an impression that the Department is acting under external influence rather than upholding the principles of justice," NITES stated.
The organisation accused the Labour Department of failing in its duty to protect employees' rights, alleging that it appears to be shielding Infosys rather than ensuring justice for the affected workers.
“The Department seems more invested in protecting corporate interests at the expense of vulnerable workers. This blatant dereliction of duty not only erodes public trust in the institution but also emboldens corporations to continue exploiting employees with impunity,” NITES added.
Demanding accountability, NITES has called for a written explanation as to why complainants were not informed of the inquiry findings before they were made public. Additionally, the organisation has requested access to the full investigation report, including all supporting documents, such as Infosys' submissions and the Labour Department’s findings.
NITES has also insisted that complainants be given an opportunity to contest the conclusions before any final decision is formally communicated, emphasising the need for a fair and transparent process.
