The Industrial Relations Code, 2020
Act No. 35 of 2020 · As on 2nd April, 2026
Chapter I — PRELIMINARY
Chapter II — BI-PARTITE FORUMS
Chapter III — TRADE UNIONS
- 5. Registrar of Trade Unions.
- 6. Criteria for registration.
- 7. Provisions to be contained in constitution or rules of Trade Union.
- 8. Application for registration, alteration of name and procedure thereof.
- 9. Registration of Trade Union and cancellation thereof.
- 10. Appeal against non-registration or cancellation of registration.
- 11. Communication to Trade Union and change in its registration particulars.
- 12. Incorporation of a registered Trade Union.
- 13. Certain Acts not to apply to registered Trade Unions.
- 14. Recognition of negotiating union or negotiating council.
- 15. Objects of general fund, composition of separate fund and membership fee of Trade Union.
- 16. Immunity from civil suit in certain cases.
- 17. Criminal conspiracy in furtherance of objects of Trade Union.
- 18. Enforceability of agreements.
- 19. Right to inspect books of Trade Union.
- 20. Rights of minor to membership of Trade Union.
- 21. Disqualification of office-bearers of Trade Unions.
- 22. Adjudication of disputes of Trade Unions.
- 23. Proportion of office-bearers to be connected with industry.
- 24. Change of name, amalgamation, notice of change and its effect.
- 25. Dissolution.
- 26. Annual returns.
- 27. Recognition of Trade Unions at Central and State level.
Chapter IV — STANDING ORDERS
- 28. Application of this Chapter.
- 29. Making of model standing orders by Central Government and temporary application.
- 30. Preparation of draft standing orders by employer and procedure for certification.
- 31. Certifying officer and appellate authority to have powers of civil court.
- 32. Appeals.
- 33. Date of operation of standing orders and its availability.
- 34. Register of standing orders.
- 35. Duration and modification of standing orders.
- 36. Oral evidence in contradiction of standing orders not admissible.
- 37. Interpretation, etc., of standing orders.
- 38. Time-limit for completing disciplinary proceedings and liability to pay subsistence allowance.
- 39. Power to exempt.
Chapter V — NOTICE OF CHANGE
Chapter VI — VOLUNTARY REFERENCE OF DISPUTES TO ARBITRATION
Chapter VII — MECHANISM FOR RESOLUTION OF INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES
- 43. Conciliation officers.
- 44. Industrial Tribunal.
- 45. Finality of constitution of Tribunal.
- 46. National Industrial Tribunal.
- 47. Decision of Tribunal or National Industrial Tribunal.
- 48. Disqualifications for members of Tribunal and National Industrial Tribunal.
- 49. Procedure and powers of arbitrator, conciliation officer, Tribunal and National Industrial Tribunal.
- 50. Powers of Tribunal and National Industrial Tribunal to give appropriate relief in case of discharge or dismissal of worker.
- 51. Transfer of pending cases.
- 52. Adjustment of services of presiding officers under repealed Act.
- 53. Conciliation and adjudication of dispute.
- 54. Reference to and functions of National Industrial Tribunal.
- 55. Form of award, its communication and commencement.
- 56. Payment of full wages to worker pending proceedings in higher Courts.
- 57. Persons on whom settlements and awards are binding.
- 58. Period of operation of settlements and awards.
- 59. Recovery of money due from employer.
- 60. Commencement and conclusion of proceedings.
- 61. Certain matters to be kept confidential.
Chapter VIII — STRIKES AND LOCK-OUTS
Chapter IX — LAY-OFF, RETRENCHMENT AND CLOSURE
- 65. Application of sections 67 to 69.
- 66. Definition of continuous service.
- 67. Rights of workers laid-off for compensation, etc.
- 68. Duty of an employer to maintain muster rolls of workers.
- 69. Workers not entitled for compensation in certain cases.
- 70. Conditions precedent to retrenchment of workers.
- 71. Procedure for retrenchment.
- 72. Re-employment of retrenched worker.
- 73. Compensation to workers in case of transfer of establishment.
- 74. Sixty days' notice to be given of intention to close down any undertaking.
- 75. Compensation to workers in case of closing down of undertakings.
- 76. Effect of laws inconsistent with this Chapter.
Chapter X — SPECIAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO LAY-OFF, RETRENCHMENT AND CLOSURE IN CERTAIN ESTABLISHMENTS
- 77. Application of this Chapter.
- 78. Prohibition of lay-off.
- 79. Conditions precedent to retrenchment of workers to which Chapter X applies.
- 80. Procedure for closing down an industrial establishment.
- 81. Duty of an employer to maintain muster rolls of workers.
- 82. Certain provisions of Chapter IX to apply to industrial establishment to which this Chapter applies.
Chapter XI — WORKER RE-SKILLING FUND
Chapter XII — UNFAIR LABOUR PRACTICES
Chapter XIII — OFFENCES AND PENALTIES
Chapter XIV — MISCELLANEOUS
- 90. Conditions of service, etc., to remain unchanged under certain circumstances during pendency of proceedings.
- 91. Special provision for adjudication as to whether conditions of service, etc., changed during pendency of proceedings.
- 92. Power to transfer certain proceedings.
- 93. Protection of persons.
- 94. Representation of parties.
- 95. Removal of doubts in interpretation of award or settlement.
- 96. Power to exempt.
- 97. Jurisdiction of civil courts barred.
- 98. Protection of action taken in good faith.
- 99. Power of appropriate Government to make rules.
- 100. Delegation of powers.
- 101. Power to amend Schedules.
- 102. Amendment of Act 7 of 2017.
- 103. Power to remove difficulties.
- 104. Repeal and savings.
Schedules
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