PIL filed in SC challenging dilution of labour laws

A PIL has been filed in the Supreme Court against the decision of Gujarat, UP and Madhya Pradesh governments to exempt the industrial units from labour welfare laws and allowing them to take steps like increasing workers' working hours, for reviving economy amid the coronavirus pandemic.

New Delhi:A Public Interest Litigation has been filed in the Supreme Court today challenging Gujarat, UP and Madhya Pradesh government's decision to exempt the industrial units from labour welfare laws and allowing them to take steps like increasing workers' working hours, for reviving economy amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The PIL has been filed by a Jharkhand resident, Pankaj Kumar Yadav, who contends that "even under such a situation, a welfare state can not be expected to force its least fortunate and most oppressed citizens into further miseries on the pretext of facilitating economic activities/development taking away their existing rights to their detriment and for the advantage of more fortunate citizens."

Further, Yadav says that these acts had been enacted after the independence and before the enactment of the constitution which shows the importance of these acts. He says that the provisions which were made in order to protect the workers is being relaxed to deprive them now.

Yadav prays to quash the notification issued by the three states which relaxed the provisions of Factories Act of 1948 in order to revive the economy.