Labour and Employment Comparative Guide

1 Legal framework

1.1 Are there statutory sources of labour and employment law?

There are as many as 165 labour and employment laws, including nearly 50 central (federal) laws, in India. The main statutes and regulations relating to labour and employment include:

• the Industrial Disputes Act 1947;
• the Factories Act 1948;
• the state-specific Shops and Commercial Establishments Acts;
• the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act 1946;
• the Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act 1970;
• the Maternity Benefit Act 1961;
• the Payment of Wages Act 1936;
• the Minimum Wages Act 1948;
• the Payment of Bonus Act 1965;
• the Equal Remuneration Act 1976;
• the Employees' Compensation Act 1923;