Consider the following statements regarding the Labour Codes in India:

Statement I: The four Labour Codes were enacted by Parliament to simplify labour laws, extend social security benefits, and ensure workplace safety for both organized and unorganized sector workers.

Statement II: Labour is listed in the Union List under Schedule VII of the Constitution, giving Parliament exclusive power to legislate on labour-related matters.

Which one of the following is correct?

Question

Question

Both Statement I and Statement II are correct, and Statement II is the correct explanation of Statement I.
Both Statement I and Statement II are correct, but Statement II is not the correct explanation of Statement I.
Statement I is correct, but Statement II is incorrect.
Statement I is incorrect, but Statement II is correct.

Answer 1

The correct answer is option 3.

In News

A national convention of workers, organized by Central Trade Unions (CTUs) and independent sectoral federations, is set to discuss an industrial strike against the Labour Codes. The CTUs argue that the Centre formulated Rules for the Codes without democratic discussions and bypassed the Indian Labour Conference, which has not been convened since 2015.

Key Points

The four Labour Codes—Code on Wages, Industrial Relations Code, Code on Social Security, and Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code—aim to reform and consolidate India’s labour laws, ensuring worker welfare, social security, and industrial harmony. Hence, Statement I is correct.
Labour is included in the Concurrent List (Entry 22) under Schedule VII of the Constitution, allowing both the Centre and States to legislate on labour matters. It is not part of the Union List, meaning Parliament does not have exclusive powers in this domain. Hence, Statement II is incorrect.

Additional Information

Labour Codes and Implementation:
- The Labour Codes were passed in 2020, but implementation has been delayed due to lack of state-level rule finalization.
- Several states have yet to notify rules under the Codes, leading to uncertainty in enforcement.
Concerns Raised by Trade Unions:
- The Centre’s unilateral formulation of Rules for the Labour Codes, without engaging in tripartite discussions, has sparked protests.
- CTUs demand discussions in the Indian Labour Conference, which has not been convened since 2015.
- The absence of parliamentary debate when the Codes were introduced during the COVID-19 crisis has been criticized.