CONTEMPORARY ISSUES ON LABOUR LAW REFORM IN INDIA WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO NEW LABOUR CODES

Following the implementation of the four new labour regulations intended to streamline and modernize the present regulatory environment, labour regulation overhaul in India has become a controversial and dynamic topic. The Code on Wages, the Industrial Relations Code, the Social Security Code, and the Occupational Safety, Health, and Working Conditions Code all seek to streamline and integrate a variety of different regulations into a single, more unified framework. The reforms have generated discussions about their effects on labour rights and industrial relations, even if their goal is to make it easier for corporations to comply with the law and provide workers more safeguards.

Significant improvements are brought about by the reforms, including heightened security specs, streamlined dispute resolution procedures, and unified pay standards. They also seek to close a long-standing vacuum in India’s system of employment by broadening welfare payments to gig and freelance employees. Trade unions and labour groups, however, have expressed alarm about these alterations, alleging that the regulations may weaken workers’ rights, diminish their ability to negotiate, and make it simpler for companies to hire and fire employees. As a result, the debate over these changes now revolves on the issue of striking a balance between social justice and economic prosperity.

With an emphasis on the possible advantages and difficulties presented by the fresh labour rules, this essay critically analyzes the current concerns concerning labour law overhaul in India. Additionally, it examines the wider ramifications for India’s labour market, especially in light of technology improvements and globalization. By examining these factors, the research hopes to add to the continuing discussion about whether these changes can accomplish their claimed goals without endangering the welfare and basic rights of workers.