Labour Law

Central labour rules notified: What the new framework means for industry

Final Central Rules under the four labour codes shift India's labour reforms from policy to implementation, putting immediate compliance focus on employers

Labour laws: Exiting outdated ILO conventions won't make India anti-worker

India is a founding member of the ILO and has been a permanent member of its Governing Body since 1922. Over time, we have ratified 47 ILO conventions and one protocol, 39 of which are still in force

International Labour Day 2026: History, theme, significance & celebrations

May Day 2026: The world marks May 1 as International Labour Day. It celebrates the contributions of the working class and serves as a platform to educate workers and labourers about their rights

Higher wages fail to move the needle for workers amid rising living costs

Rising living expenses, fear of contract hiring cast shadow on real gains

Unemployment rate climbs to 5.1% in March, highest in five months

Unemployment rate rose to a five-month high in March as labour force participation and worker population ratio declined across both rural and urban areas

Lok Sabha passes Jan Vishwas Amendment Bill to change 784 provisions

The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed a bill to amend certain provisions in different laws for decriminalising and rationalising minor offences to further promote ease of doing business and living. The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026, was passed with a voice vote. The bill proposes to amend 784 provisions of 79 Central Acts administered by 23 ministries. It seeks to decriminalise 717 provisions and amend 67 provisions to facilitate ease of living. It also seeks to rationalise more than 1,000 offences, removing outdated and redundant provisions, thereby improving the overall regulatory environment. Replying to the debate on the bill, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said it will help people and MSMEs. Amendments moved by Congress member K Kavya were rejected by voice vote.

SC reserves verdict on 'industry' definition, re-examines 1978 ruling

Supreme Court reserves verdict on redefining "industry" under labour law, revisiting 1978 ruling that expanded scope of protections across sectors

Supreme Court to examine 1978 'industry' ruling on merits, rejects plea

Top court to assess correctness of landmark Bangalore Water Supply ruling, holding that the reference must be decided despite changes in the statutory framework

Broad definition of 'industry' may deter private players, Centre tells SC

Centre tells Supreme Court that an expansive definition of "industry" could impose disproportionate obligations on employers and discourage private sector participation

New labour codes likely to drive wider adoption of fixed-term employment

Nearly 75 per cent of companies expect a rise in structured fixed-term employment as companies respond to the implementation of new labour codes, signalling a shift towards greater workforce formalisation, according to a report. The shift toward workforce formalisation is becoming increasingly evident, as an overwhelming 75 per cent of respondents anticipate greater adoption of structured fixed-term employment as a strategic response to the new labour codes, HR solutions provider Genius HRTech said in the report. This signals a decisive movement toward more formal, compliant, and documented employment arrangements, it added. In November 2025, the government consolidated and implemented 29 Central labour laws into four comprehensive codes - Wages, Industrial Relations, Social Security, and Occupational Safety, to simplify compliance, modernise regulations, and enhance worker welfare. The report by Genius HRTech is based on inputs from 1,459 companies during January 2026 across secto

Clear interpretation key to labour Code success in India's reform journey

The second of the two-part series looks at working hours, employer responsibilities and compliance

Labour Codes and India's continuing search for regulatory clarity

The first of a two-part series on labour Codes looks at wage definition, compliance challenges, and the road ahead

Nine-judge Supreme Court Bench to look at definition of 'industry'

The Supreme Court has referred the scope of the term "industry" under labour law to a nine-judge Bench, which will revisit a 1975 ruling and assess the effect of later legislative developments

New labour codes unlikely to hit salary hikes; IT may see softer gains

Companies are expected to continue salary hikes despite higher costs from new labour codes, but sectors like IT may see slightly lower increments due to margin pressure

SC refuses to issue directions for welfare measures of domestic helps

The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to entertain a PIL seeking a comprehensive legal framework and enforcement of minimum wages for domestic workers, saying it cannot issue a writ asking the Centre and states to consider amending existing laws. The top court also observed that trade unionism has been largely responsible for stopping the industrial growth in the country. "How many industrial units in the country have been closed thanks to trade unions? Let us know the realities. All traditional industries in the country, all because of these 'jhanda' unions have been closed, all throughout the country. They don't want to work. These trade union leaders are largely responsible for stopping industrial growth in the country," Chief Justice Surya Kant said. "Of course exploitation is there, but there are means to address exploitation. People should have been made more aware of their individual rights, people should have been made more skilled, there were several other reforms which ...

Fair wages (schedules or tips) for gig workers in India's economy?

As gig workers protest pay and conditions, platforms, consumers, policymakers must rethink convenience, tipping culture and humane work practices to ensure growth does not come at the cost of dignity

New labour codes, restructuring and provisioning impact TCS' Q3 profit

Statutory impact of new labour codes, AI-led restructuring costs and a large legal provision weighed on TCS's Q3 FY26 profitability

New labour codes may hit MSMEs harder than large firms, say experts

India's new labour codes promise simplification, but for MSMEs the transition could mean higher wage bills and tougher compliance - unless strong handholding follows

Labour Ministry publishes draft rules; gig workers' unions seek clarity

Draft rules under the new Labour Codes set minimum work-day criteria for gig workers to access social security benefits, prompting unions to seek clarity on eligibility and safeguards

Labour Code draft rules clarify doubts, concerns still remain

Draft rules under India's four Labour Codes clarify wages and gratuity calculations, extend social security, but smaller firms still face implementation concerns