The four Codes, the laws they replace, when they came into force, and whose rules apply to you.
Written from the official text · not reviewed by a lawyer · follows the Central Rules
Key points
The Labour Codes are the Code on Wages, 2019 s. 1(1), the Industrial Relations Code, 2020 s. 1(1), the Code on Social Security, 2020 s. 1(1) and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 s. 1(1).
They take the place of earlier laws. The Code on Wages repeals the Payment of Wages Act, 1936, the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, the Payment of Bonus Act, 1965 and the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976 s. 69(1).
The Industrial Relations Code repeals the Trade Unions Act, 1926, the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946 and the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 s. 104(1).
The Code on Social Security repeals Acts including the Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952, the Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948, the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 and the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 s. 164(1).
The OSH Code repeals Acts including the Factories Act, 1948, the Mines Act, 1952 and the Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970 s. 143(1).
The appropriate Government is the Central Government for establishments of the Central Government, railways, mines, oil fields, major ports, air transport, telecommunication, banking and insurance companies and central public sector undertakings, and the State Government for any other establishment s. 2(d).
The appropriate Government makes the rules that fill in the detail of each Code s. 67(1); the Central Government’s rules under it are the Code on Wages (Central) Rules, 2026 rule 1.
Inspector-cum-Facilitators inspect establishments, and also advise employers and workers on complying with the Code s. 51(5).
If you are an employer
Find out first whether the Central or the State Government is your appropriate Government s. 2(d), because that Government makes the rules you follow s. 67(1) and appoints the Inspector-cum-Facilitators for your establishment s. 51(1).
If you are a worker
An Inspector-cum-Facilitator can advise you, as well as your employer, on what the Code requires s. 51(5)(a).
The Industrial Relations Code, 2020 repeals the Trade Unions Act, the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act and the Industrial Disputes Act s. 104(1).
S.O. 5322(E) appointed 21 November 2025 as the date on which most provisions of the Code on Wages came into force S.O. 5322(E).
the Central Government hereby appoints the 21st day of November, 2025 as the date on which the following provisions of the said Code, shall come into force
The law's words: Notifications, S.O. 5322(E) — S.O. 5322(E) — Code on Wages, 2019 commencement (partial: excludes s.42(1)-(3), s.67(2)(s)-(t))
Show the answer
Answer: The Central Government
For banking and insurance companies, railways, mines, major ports and central public sector undertakings, among others, the appropriate Government is the Central Government s. 2(d)(i).
air transport service, telecommunication, banking and insurance company or a corporation or other authority established by a Central Act or a central public sector undertaking or subsidiary companies set up by central public sector undertakings or autonomous bodies owned or controlled by the Central Government, including establishment of contractors for the purposes of such establishment, corporation or other authority, central public sector undertakings, subsidiary companies or autonomous bodies, as the case may be, the Central Government
Official text reproduced from the Gazette of India, India Code and State Government sources. This is not legal advice; check the source PDF before relying on any provision.