Kerala student files plea in SC challenging changes in labour laws

Nandini Praveen, a 3rd year LLB student, has filed a plea in the Supreme Court challenging the constitutional validity of notifications and ordinances issued by states leading to fundamental changes in the labour laws. In her plea, she said that changes in the labour laws to improve economic activities amid the coronavirus constituted to 'forced labour'.

New Delhi: A PIL has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the constitutional validity of notifications and ordinances issued by states leading to fundamental changes in the labour laws in order to purportedly enable better economic activities and reform market amid the corona virus.

The plea filed by Nandini Praveen, a 3rd year LLB student, contends that the changes in the labour laws forcing workers to work for extra hours, suspending their welfare and health measures constitutes to 'forced labour' and is violative of Article 14, 15, 19, 21 and 23 of the constitution. "The term must be viewed not in a limited sense where the employees are physically threatened to work," contends Praveen.

Further she says that the changes are not just in violation of right to life, right to assemble peacefully, right to form unions, right to health, safe working conditions etc but also in violation of various international framework on labour laws to which India is a party.

"India is a party to several international conventions regulating health and welfare, hours of work, equal remuneration etc of workers," read the petition.

The Labour Ministry, Law and Justice Ministry, Health Ministry, UP government, MP government, Gujrat government, Goa Government, Assam government,Rajasthan government, Punjab government, Haryana government, Uttrakhand government and Himachal Pradesh government have been made the respondents in the petition.