Environment & Ecology·Environmental Laws

Employment and Unemployment — Environmental Laws

Updated 8 Mar 2026
EntryYearDescriptionImpact
42nd Amendment Act1976Inserted Article 43A into the Directive Principles of State Policy, which mandates the State to take steps to secure the participation of workers in the management of undertakings, establishments or other organisations engaged in any industry.Strengthened the constitutional commitment to worker welfare and industrial democracy, influencing subsequent labour legislation and policy discussions on worker rights and participation in management.
Labour Code Reforms2019-2020Consolidated 29 central labour laws into four comprehensive codes: the Code on Wages, 2019; the Industrial Relations Code, 2020; the Code on Social Security, 2020; and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020.Aimed at simplifying labour laws, promoting ease of doing business, and extending social security benefits to a wider section of workers, including those in the informal and gig economy. However, they have also sparked debates regarding potential impacts on workers' rights and employer-employee relations.