Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Act, 2026

Karnataka amended its Shops and Commercial Establishments Act with effect from 4 September 2026. Reported changes include exempting establishments with ten or more workers already registered under the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 from separate registration; removing the need for separate registration of godowns and storage within 100 metres of the principal establishment; fully digital applications; reduction of the registration disposal period from 30 days to 7 days; registrations valid indefinitely without periodic renewal; service certificates to be issued within 7 days of an employee's request; a prohibition on employers retaining employees' original educational or experience certificates; and higher penalties, including obstruction of an inspector rising from Rs 500 to Rs 10,000.

INDICATIVE - non-government origin (SCC Online Times, a legal publisher; also reported by sgcms.com). The Karnataka Government's own acts listing at dpal.karnataka.gov.in did not yet carry a 2026 acts page containing this Act, so the Act number, assent date of 3 September 2026 and notification date of 4 September 2026 are not confirmed on a government page. Verify against the Karnataka Gazette before relying on the registration exemption.

Indicative — not from the authority's own pageThe page this was read from