NEW DELHI — The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Saturday strongly denounced the Union government’s decision to operationalise the Labour Codes through the notification of Central Rules on May 8, 2026, calling it a “deceptive and anti-worker” move and urging state governments to resist their implementation by introducing protective amendments.
The party alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Union government had initially planned to bring the Labour Codes into effect from April 1, 2026, but delayed the notification until after Assembly elections in four states and one Union Territory. It said the rules were issued just four days after the results, describing the timing as a “calculated and deceptive political manoeuvre.”
“The operationalisation of the Labour Codes exposes the deceptive modus operandi of the BJP-led Union government,” the CPI(M) said in a statement, alleging that the reforms were being pushed without adequate consultation with trade unions and workers’ organisations.
The party further claimed that BJP-ruled states have already begun preparing draft rules in line with the central framework. In contrast, it pointed to the stance of the outgoing Left Democratic Front government in Kerala, which had opposed the implementation of the Labour Codes and initiated an alternative policy approach.
According to the CPI(M), the Kerala government had convened a National Labour Conclave and set up an expert committee headed by former Supreme Court judge V. Gopala Gowda to explore alternative measures. The committee submitted recommendations aimed at safeguarding workers’ rights, which the state government accepted but could not implement due to the Model Code of Conduct during elections.
The party said the expert panel recommended that states use their constitutional powers to introduce amendments protecting labour rights. It cited provisions in the Concurrent List of the Constitution—Entries 22, 23 and 24—which allow both the Centre and states to legislate on labour matters.
“The state legislatures are fully empowered to bring in amendments to protect the interests of workers,” the CPI(M) said, urging states not to mechanically adopt the Central Rules but to exercise their legislative authority to ensure stronger protections.
Reiterating its opposition, the CPI(M) warned that the Labour Codes would weaken workers’ rights, dilute safeguards, and undermine job security. It called on all state governments to act in the interest of labour and resist what it described as the centralisation of labour regulation.
The Union government, however, maintains that the Labour Codes are aimed at simplifying existing labour laws, improving ease of doing business, and expanding social security coverage across sectors.
