Uttar Pradesh Government withdraws notification relaxing labour laws amid COVID-19; Allahabad HC dismisses PIL as infructuous

The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday was informed that the Uttar Pradesh Government has withdrawn its notification to relax certain labour law regulations concerning working hours, rest periods and overtime amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (Uttar Pradesh Worker Front v UOI).The notification was issued citing the present COVID-19 pandemic. The May 8 notification further provided that from April 20 to July 19, the following regulations would apply instead of earlier laws i.e.Working hours for factory workers were increased from 8 to 12 hours a day;Working hours for factory workers capped at 72 hours in a week;The periods of work of adult workers in a factor each day shall be so fixed that no period shall exceed six hours and so that no worker shall work for more than six hours before he has had an interval for rest of at least half an hour;Wages shall be in proportion of the existing wages (for eg. if wages for eight hours are 80 Rs, then proportionate wages for 12 hours will be 120 Rs)..The move to withdraw the notification followed close in the heels of the Allahabad High Court issuing notice in a PIL moved by the Uttar Pradesh Worker Front challenging the said notification. Advocates Pranjal Shukla and Vinayak Mithal appeared for the petitioner..On Tuesday, the Allahabad High Court was told by the Additional Advocate General, the Chief Standing Counsel and SK Rai, Standing Counsel for the Central Government that the challenged notification has been withdrawn by the State. Recording this submission, the Court has now dismissed the PIL..The Court said, ."In view of the fact mentioned above, this petition for writ is dismissed as becoming infructuous."Allahabad High Court.Read the Order:.Read the Notice regarding withdrawal of the Notification: