The Industrial Relations (Central) Rules, 2026 – Notification No. G.S.R. 342(E) dated 08.05.2026 by Ministry of Labour and Employment
MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 8th May, 2026
G.S.R. 342(E).—Whereas, the draft of the Industrial Relations (Central) Rules, 2025, as required under subsection (1) of section 99 of the Industrial Relations Code, 2020 (35 of 2020) were published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Sub-Section (i) vide number G.S.R. 930(E), dated the 30th December, 2025 inviting objections and suggestions from all persons likely to be affected thereby within a period of thirty days from the date on which copies of the Gazette containing the said notification were made available to the public;
And whereas, the said draft notification were made available to the public on the 30th December, 2025;
And whereas, objections and suggestions received from persons and stakeholders have been duly considered by the Central Government;
Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 99 of the Industrial Relations Code, 2020 (35 of 2020) and in supersession of the Industrial Disputes (Central) Rules, 1957, in so far as they relate to Part II and Parts V to VIII; and the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Central Rules, 1946, in so far as they relate to these rules except as respects things done or omitted to be done before such supersession, the Central Government hereby makes the following rules, namely:-
CHAPTER I
PRELIMINARY
1. Short title and commencement.–– (1) These rules may be called the Industrial Relations (Central) Rules, 2026.
(2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.
2. Definitions.–– (1) In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires,––
(a) “Code” means the Industrial Relations Code, 2020 (35 of 2020);
(b) “electronically” means any information submitted by email or uploading on the official portal or digital payment in any mode for the purposes of the Code;
(c) “Form” means the forms set forth in the Schedule to these rules;
(d) “section” means a section of the Code.
(2) Words and expressions used in these rules which are not defined, but are defined in the Code, shall have their respective meanings assigned to them in the Code.
3. References of certain authorities and officers of industrial establishments under the Code.– (1) The reference to the Central Government or the Government of India, in relation to an industrial dispute in respect of a Union territory without legislature, shall be construed as a reference to the Administrator of such Union territory, for which the appropriate Government is the Central Government; and the reference to the Chief Labour Commissioner (Central), Deputy Chief Labour Commissioner (Central), Regional Labour Commissioner (Central) and the Assistant Labour Commissioner (Central) shall be construed as reference to the respective appropriate authority, appointed in that behalf by the Administrator of that Union territory.
(2) For the purposes of these rules, with reference to clause (m) of section 2 of the Code, it is hereby specified that—
(a) in relation to an industry, not being an industry referred to in sub clause (ii) thereof, carried on by or under the authority of a Ministry or Department of the Central Government or a State Government, the officer-incharge of the industrial establishment shall be the employer in respect of that establishment; and
(b) in relation to an industry concerning railways, carried on by or under the authority of a Ministry or Department of the Central Government,—
(i) the General Manager thereof shall be the employer in respect of regular railway servants other than casual labour in the case of an establishment of a Zonal Railway;
(ii) the Officer-in-charge of the establishment shall be the employer in respect of regular railway servants other than casual labour in the case of an establishment independent of a Zonal Railway; and
(iii) the District Officer-in-charge or the Divisional Personnel Officer or the Personnel Officer, as the case may be, shall be the employer in respect of casual labour employed on Zonal Railway or any other
railway establishment independent of a Zonal Railway.
COMMENTS