The Centre has said that the four Labour Codes are already in force and that it has held extensive consultations with states, Union Territories and other stakeholders before notifying the rules. The government also said it organised several national and regional labour conferences during 2025-26 to discuss issues related to the new labour laws.
The clarification came in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday in response to a question on whether the government is holding tripartite talks to address objections raised by some state governments and central trade unions over certain provisions of the Labour Codes.
Labour Codes implemented from November 21, 2025
Replying to an unstarred question by Rajya Sabha MP Phulo Devi Netam, Minister of State for Labour and Employment Shobha Karandlaje said the government implemented all four Labour Codes with effect from November 21, 2025.
The four laws are: Code on Wages; Industrial Relations Code; Code on Social Security; Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH&WC) Code.
What did the government say on states framing rules?
The minister said states and Union Territories also have to frame their own rules because labour is a subject in the Concurrent List of the Constitution.
According to the reply, “Most of the States/UTs have already taken measures and have finalised or published/pre-published the Rules under the Labour Codes and a few States/UTs are in the process of pre-publishing/finalising the Rules.”
However, the government did not specify how many states or Union Territories have completed the process.
Is the government holding talks over objections?
On concerns raised by some state governments and trade unions, the Centre said the Labour Codes were framed after wide consultations.
The reply stated, “The four Labour Codes were passed after extensive consultations with all stakeholders including States/UTs.”
It also said the draft Central Rules were pre-published on December 30, 2025 to invite comments and suggestions from stakeholders.
After examining the feedback, the government notified the Central Rules on May 8, 2026.
The minister further informed Parliament that “Several National and Regional Labour Conferences were held with States/UTs during 2025-26 to discuss issues relating to four Labour Codes.”
The reply, however, did not specifically mention any fresh tripartite talks being held to address objections raised by state governments or central trade unions.
What are the four Labour Codes?
The four Labour Codes consolidate 29 central labour laws into four broad laws with the aim of simplifying India’s labour law framework.
Code on Wages, 2019: Brings together laws related to wages, minimum wages, bonus and equal remuneration. It aims to ensure timely payment of wages and extends minimum wage provisions to more workers.
Industrial Relations Code, 2020: Deals with trade unions, industrial disputes and conditions for layoffs, retrenchment and closure of establishments.
Code on Social Security, 2020: Brings various social security laws under one framework. It covers benefits related to EPF, ESI, maternity, gratuity and also extends social security provisions to gig and platform workers.
Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020: Consolidates laws related to workplace safety, health and working conditions across different sectors.
The Labour Codes were passed by Parliament in 2019 and 2020, but they came into force from November 21, 2025, after the Centre and states completed the rule-making process. Many provisions require states to notify their own rules before they can be implemented effectively at the state level.
Disclaimer: This story is based on the written reply given by the Ministry of Labour and Employment in the Rajya Sabha on July 23, 2026. The information reflects the government’s official response in Parliament.
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