On May 6, the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet decided to suspend 35 of the 38 labour laws in the state for three years. It said that this would attra...
On May 6, the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet decided to suspend 35 of the 38 labour laws in the state for three years. It said that this would attract much-needed investment to an economy battered by Covid-19.
Three laws have been exempted from the ordinance: the Building and Other Construction Workers Act, 1996; the Workmen Compensation Act, 1923, and the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976. Section 5 of the Payment of Wages Act, which relates to timely payment of wages, will also continue to be in force.
This means several key laws will not apply to Uttar Pradesh. These include Central laws such as the Minimum Wages Act, the Payment of Wages Act and the Payment of Bonus Act.
Since labour is on the concurrent list, both the Centre and the states can make laws under this subject. But can a state government completely suspend Central laws?
Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary R K Tiwari told Business Standard that the ordinance will be sent to the Central government for its approval. This means the state is trying to fulfill the mandate under Article 213 of the Constitution. But experts state that even if the constitutional procedure is followed, it would be embarrassing for the...
