31 states yet to notify state rules under new labour codes

While the centre has notified rules under the new labour codes, the state governments have been slow to respond. Only three states, Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh and Gujarat, have notified the final rules under the four Labour Codes. Tamil Nadu has published three of the rules and has not yet announced the fourth labour code regarding social security. West Bengal has not yet published draft rules. The State Rules under the new Labour Codes are yet to be notified in 31 states.

Labour falls under the concurrent list. Both the Central and State Governments can frame laws. The State Rules will cover minimum wages, registers and records, strikes and lockouts, works committee, welfare administration, health check-up, licensing, notices and displays.

The Central Labour Code Rules apply to establishments under the Central Government’s jurisdiction. This includes banking, insurance, telecommunication services, railways, including metro railways, ports and air transport services, mines and oilfields, central PSUs and subsidiaries, corporations and autonomous bodies owned or controlled by the central government.

The four codes include the 2006 Industrial Relations Code (Central) Rules, the Code on Wages (Central) Rules, the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code (Central) Rules, and the Social Security Code (Central) Rules.

India’s labour reforms have entered a decisive implementation phase, marking the transition from legislative intent to an operational compliance framework with the notification of the Central Rules under all four Labour Codes on May 8, 2026, Lokesh Gulati, partner, PwC, said. There is no timeframe for states to publish their rules, Gulati said. But some more states are expected to come up with the State Rules in the next one or two months. Until then, the old state rules will continue in these states.