Operationalising Labour Codes In India: A Study Of The 2025–26 Labour Law Transition
- IJLLR Journal
- 11 minutes ago
- 1 min read
Naina Verma, B.A. L.L.B. (H), Amity University Lucknow
ABSTRACT
India’s decision to merge twenty-nine Central labour laws into four Labour Codes represents a decisive break from a fragmented and colonial-era labour framework. Although these Codes were enacted between 2019 and 2020, their real impact began to unfold only during 2025–26, when several States notified rules and put enforcement mechanisms in place. This article examines this period as a crucial phase in which labour law reform moved from legislative intent to lived legal reality. It examines how the transition to a code-based system has transformed compliance practices, redefined labour welfare delivery, and reconfigured the relationship between workers, employers, and the State. The study critically engages with the constitutional and social implications of the Labour Codes, particularly their impact on labour federalism, collective bargaining, and the enduring tension between economic flexibility and social justice, as outlined in Articles 14, 19, and 21 of the Constitution. By focusing on the experiences of diverse groups of workers such as fixed-term employees, gig and platform workers, women, MSME employees, and those in hazardous or informal sectors, the article highlights both the promise and the limitations of the new labour regime. It argues that the long-term success of the Labour Codes will depend not merely on uniform legislation, but on effective State-level implementation, institutional capacity, and responsive judicial interpretation, making the 2025–26 transition a defining moment in India’s labour law evolution.
Keywords: Labour Law Reform, Labour Code Implementation, Workers’ Rights, Social Security, Industrial Relations, Gig Economy, Constitutional Justice.
