West Bengal government set to implement Labour Codes
In discussions on the rollout of the Code, all states, barring Kerala, would have rolled out the new labour laws
- Jul 8, 2026,
- Updated Jul 8, 2026 8:09 PM IST
In a major boost to the Centre’s reform agenda, the newly elected Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in West Bengal is also set to implement the Labour Codes soon. This would implement the Codes that modernise and codify India’s labour laws, near universal across the country.
According to sources, the new West Bengal government has begun discussions on implementing and notifying the Codes soon and will initiate work on drafting the rules as well shortly. “Once West Bengal also decides to implement the Labour Codes, all states, including Kerala, would be on board with the new legislation,” a senior government functionary said.
Expectations are that the Congress-led United Democratic Front in Kerala would also implement the Labour Codes. “There would certainly be pressure on the Kerala government also to notify and roll out the Codes,” the source said.
Most states have already begun drafting and notifying rules under the Labour Codes, and several like Karnataka and Maharashtra had started notifying some of the provisions even before the Centre had notified the Codes in November last year.
The new BJP government in West Bengal led by Suvendu Adhikari is keen on promoting industry and investments in the state, and the Labour Codes are seen as an industry-friendly measure that cuts down on compliance burden digitizes processes and enables easier retrenchments and closures of factories with fewer than 300 workers.
The West Bengal government has also, in the past, held discussions with the DPIIT on initiatives like the BHAVYA scheme, which is working on 100 plug-and-play industrial parks across the country.
After years of waiting, the Centre in November last year notified the four Labour Codes --- Code on Wages, 2019, Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2019, the Industrial Relations Code, 2020 and the Code on Social Security, 2020, which were notified on November 21, 2025.
While some of the provisions of the Codes had become effective immediately, the Union Labour Ministry held discussions with stakeholders on several other provisions and began notifying the Central rules under the Codes in May this year.
In a major boost to the Centre’s reform agenda, the newly elected Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in West Bengal is also set to implement the Labour Codes soon. This would implement the Codes that modernise and codify India’s labour laws, near universal across the country.
According to sources, the new West Bengal government has begun discussions on implementing and notifying the Codes soon and will initiate work on drafting the rules as well shortly. “Once West Bengal also decides to implement the Labour Codes, all states, including Kerala, would be on board with the new legislation,” a senior government functionary said.
Expectations are that the Congress-led United Democratic Front in Kerala would also implement the Labour Codes. “There would certainly be pressure on the Kerala government also to notify and roll out the Codes,” the source said.
Most states have already begun drafting and notifying rules under the Labour Codes, and several like Karnataka and Maharashtra had started notifying some of the provisions even before the Centre had notified the Codes in November last year.
The new BJP government in West Bengal led by Suvendu Adhikari is keen on promoting industry and investments in the state, and the Labour Codes are seen as an industry-friendly measure that cuts down on compliance burden digitizes processes and enables easier retrenchments and closures of factories with fewer than 300 workers.
The West Bengal government has also, in the past, held discussions with the DPIIT on initiatives like the BHAVYA scheme, which is working on 100 plug-and-play industrial parks across the country.
After years of waiting, the Centre in November last year notified the four Labour Codes --- Code on Wages, 2019, Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2019, the Industrial Relations Code, 2020 and the Code on Social Security, 2020, which were notified on November 21, 2025.
While some of the provisions of the Codes had become effective immediately, the Union Labour Ministry held discussions with stakeholders on several other provisions and began notifying the Central rules under the Codes in May this year.