India’s Labour Codes : Towards a Coherent and Modern Regulatory Framework

Vidhya Soundararajan
The Second National Commission on Labour (2002) had highlighted how India’s maze of labour laws had become overly complex and fragmented. Acting on its recommendations, last week, the government notified four major labour codes on Wages (2019), Industrial Relations (2020), Social Security (2020), and Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSHW) (2020), effectively merging 29 older laws into a more coherent framework. This is a welcome step: long overdue and among the most awaited reforms in recent years.By simplifying definitions, enabling digital compliance, and streamlining registration and inspections, the new codes cut red tape, reduce legal uncertainty, and make it easier to do business, especially for the manufacturing and services sector.
The code on Wages marks a major shift by introducing a statutory national floor wage.
(To be continued)