“LABOUR LAW REFORMS AND THEIR IMPACT ON WORKER EXPLOITATION IN INDIA: A SOCIO-LEGAL ANALYSIS”

AUTHOR – ALKA KUMARI, LLM RESEARCH SCHOLAR AT UNIVERSITY INSTITUTION OF LAW, SANT BABA BHAG SINGH UNIVERSITY, JALANDHAR

BEST CITATION – ALKA KUMARI, “LABOUR LAW REFORMS AND THEIR IMPACT ON WORKER EXPLOITATION IN INDIA: A SOCIO-LEGAL ANALYSIS”, ILE MULTIDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL, 4 (2) OF 2025, PG. 55-66, APIS – 3920-0007 | ISSN – 2583-7230.

Abstract

This paper explores the impact of India’s recent labour law reforms, which consolidated existing laws into four new codes: the Code on Wages (2019), the Industrial Relations Code (2020), the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code (2020), and the Code on Social Security (2020). The study analyzes the reforms’ effect on worker exploitation in both public and private sectors, focusing on issues like low wages, job insecurity, and unsafe working conditions. While the reforms aim to modernize labour law and extend protections, concerns about weakened worker rights, particularly for informal workers, persist. The paper also examines the role of the judiciary in interpreting these changes. In conclusion, the study offers recommendations for improving enforcement, protecting worker rights, and ensuring the reforms benefit all workers, particularly in the informal sector.

Keywords: Labour Law, Worker Exploitation, India, Labour Reforms, Informal Sector, Social Security.