Labour Laws In India: Overcoming Challenges And Paving The Way Forward For Fair And Equitable

Labour Laws In India: Overcoming Challenges And Paving The Way Forward For Fair And Equitable Employment Practices

Astel Joseph, B.B.A., LL.B., Kristu Jayanti College of Law, K Narayanapura, Kothanur, Bangalore

ABSTRACT

The goal of India's intricate and comprehensive labour law system is to uphold and advance the rights of workers. There are many labour laws in India, including rules for wages, working conditions, social security, and labour relations. But due to a number of issues, including a lack of funding, political will, and administrative capability, the implementation and enforcement of these laws have proven difficult. The complexity and ambiguity of India's labour laws, which make them challenging to comprehend and apply, are among their main problems. Additional confusion brought on by the multiplicity of labour laws leads to inconsistent application and interpretation. The fact that most workers in India's economy work in the unorganized sector and that the country's economy is largely informal presents a significant challenge. These workers are frequently not protected by labour laws and are open to exploitation, which can include receiving low pay, working in hazardous conditions, and having limited access to social security benefits. Additionally, the use of contract labour has grown, posing new difficulties for labour laws. Because contract workers frequently do not receive the same benefits and protections as regular employees, job security has decreased as a result of the use of contract labour. The Indian government has taken several actions to address these issues, such as the codification of labour laws into four codes, which aims to streamline and simplify the labour law framework. The government has also put forth a number of measures to expand social security coverage to workers in the unorganized sector. Implementing and enforcing these initiatives effectively, however, continues to be difficult. The efficient application of labour laws has been hampered by the lack of funding and expertise of labour administration organizations, as well as by the absence of a reliable dispute resolution process. Despite India's labour laws intentions to safeguard and advance workers' rights, a number of issues prevent them from being effectively put into practice and enforced. The government must address these issues in a comprehensive and integrated manner in order to move forward. This requires that labour administration agencies be given more resources, that labour laws be made clearer and more uniform, and that effective enforcement and dispute resolution mechanisms be put in place.

Keywords: Labour, equality, wages, unemployment, security, workers