Trade unions criticize Supreme Court ruling on industry definition under new labour code

Left-leaning trade unions have expressed concern over a nine-judge bench judgment of the Supreme Court, which stated that the definition of 'industry' as per a 1978 apex court judgment will not be applicable to the recently implemented Industrial Relations Code. The unions alleged that the judgment reflects a structural tilt towards institutional and managerial interests over the collective rights and bargaining power of workers.

All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) general secretary Amarjeet Kaur said the AITUC is deeply concerned with the judgment. She questioned the necessity of reopening a settled jurisprudence of nearly five decades, particularly when the Industrial Relations Code has already replaced the Industrial Disputes Act. The unions said the majority judges' decision leaves workers' collective rights weakened under the new labour framework.