Rules to implement new industrial code will be finalised this month: Central government to Delhi High Court

The Central government on Monday told the Delhi High Court that it will finalise rules to give effect to the new industrial code by the end of February. 

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared for the government and stated that objections and suggestions from the public have already been invited and the rules will be finalised soon. 

Mehta was appearing before a Division Bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia which was hearing a plea challenging the November 2025 notification of the Central government bringing the Industrial Relations Code 2020 into force. 

“We have also been informed that the rule-making process is continuing, and the objections and suggestions from the general public have already been invited, and the same [Rules] are likely to be finalised soon. It has been stated by the learned Solicitor General that in all likelihood, the rules shall be finalised by the end of this month,” the Court noted in its order today. 

The counsel appearing for the petitioner sought directions that till the rules are framed, the old rules must continue. He added that the absence of rules creates a vacuum. 

However, the Bench refused to pass any such directions, observing that it would amount to bringing the scrapped industrial law back into force. 

The Court then disposed of the plea. 

While dealing with the case earlier, the High Court had pointed to certain lacunae in the new industrial laws. It had noted that the new Code was brought into force without following the proper procedure for repeal of the earlier laws governing the field.  Further, the Court had also raised concern over the failure to constitute tribunals under the new law. 

SG Mehta showed the Court the two gazette notifications issued today and said the concerns raised by the Bench have been taken care of.

The Bench agreed and then disposed of the plea. 

Along with SG Mehta, the Union of India was represented through Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Chetan Sharma, Central Government Standing Counsel (CGSC) Ashish Dixit and advocates Amit Gupta, Shubham Sharma, Naman, Yash and Umar Hashmi. 

Advocates Ravinder Singh Garia, Shashank Singh, Upendra Singh Rajput, Sanjay Kumar, Shivesh Garg, Saifuddin, Tej Bahadur Srivastava and Alok Kumar appeared for petitioner NA Sebastian and another litigant.