Employment Law Update - Aug - Sep 2026

Introduction

The August-September 2026 edition of our Labour and Employment newsletter covers significant developments across judicial decisions, labour-code rule making and employer compliance.

A key highlight is the Supreme Court’s decision in State of U.P. v. Jai Bir Singh (August 20, 2026), where the nine-judge Bench considered whether the “triple test” for determining an “industry” under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, required reformulation.

While no single reformulation secured a majority, the Court held that pending disputes under the Industrial Disputes Act will continue to be decided under the 1978 test, with the interpretation of “industry” under the Industrial Relations Code, 2020 remaining open for determination.