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ndustrial Relations Code Amendment Bill, 2026 passed in Lok Sabha

The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the Industrial Relations Code Amendment Bill, 2026.

Mandaviya says Labour Bill boosts industry, jobs

Union Labour Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, while replying to the discussion on the amended Industrial Relations Code, addressed criticism from the Left parties. Mandaviya took aim at the LDF government in Kerala, alleging it had failed to issue the essential certificate required for setting up a medical college in the State. He cited the example to question the Left’s commitment to development.

Turning to the Bill, the minister said it is designed to support industrial growth while safeguarding workers’ interests. He further stated that economic expansion and employment generation go hand in hand.

Mandaviya listed provisions such as guaranteed minimum wages, timely payment of salaries and measures aimed at promoting industrialisation. He maintained that the amendments strengthen clarity in the law while ensuring that labour protections remain intact.

Mandaviya defends Labour Code, says it safeguards both workers and the industry

Union Minister for Labour and Employment Mansukh Mandaviya told the Lok Sabha on Thursday that the amendment he introduced to the Labour Code was minor in nature.

“I came to the House only for legal clarity. I think it’s an opportunity for me to give a comprehensive reply,” he said.

Mandaviya said the Labour Code guarantees a minimum wage and mandates appointment letters for all workers. He added that it also provides for equal pay for men and women performing the same work.

The Minister further stated that under the existing provisions of the Labour Code, an employee becomes eligible for gratuity after completing one year of service.

BJP, Opposition spar over Budget in Rajya Sabha

BJP members on Thursday accused the Opposition of repeatedly stalling the Budget Session, while Opposition parties countered that the Union Budget offers little relief to ordinary citizens.

Taking part in the Rajya Sabha debate, BJP MP Kesridevsinh Jhala said the Budget sets India on course for becoming a developed nation by 2047 and praised Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for presenting her ninth Budget. “At a time when major economies in the world are facing trouble, India is rising.... It is one of the fastest-growing economies,” he said.

Jhala added that 25 crore people had moved out of poverty under NDA policies. Criticising disruptions, he said, “At a time when India is moving towards 'Viksit Bharat', from fragile five, we are the fourth largest economy... But how has the opposition presented itself in the whole session... we can see there is a system of representative disruptions”. Referring to a recent incident, he added, “They even reached the Prime Minister's chair.”

BJP MP Amar Pal Maurya said, “If Opposition leaders can't see it, it's because their vision is clouded.... They also talked about poverty, but did not do anything.”

From the Opposition benches, CPI MP P. Sandosh Kumar said, “There is nothing to celebrate for the common man...” He alleged Kerala had been ignored and asked, “are we not a part of this country?” Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi added, “Senior citizens above 60 were hoping there would be something for them, but there was nothing for them.”

Opposition slams Labour Code as pro-industrialists

Opposition parties on Thursday accused the Centre of framing labour reforms in a way that benefits industrialists while restricting workers’ rights, as the Lok Sabha debated the Industrial Relations Code (Amendment) Bill.

Opening the discussion, Congress MP Kodikunnil Suresh said the government had opted for dominance instead of dialogue. Referring to the nationwide strike, he described it as a sign of deeper unrest. “Today's strike is a warning signal. Central trade unions, public sector unions, banking employees, electricity and transport employees, and unorganised labour; such a broad alliance against the government is indicative of policy failure,” he said.

He also pointed out that the law requires a 14-day notice before workers can strike and argued that the decline in women’s participation in the workforce remains unaddressed. “The UPA government was a pro-labour government unlike the current regime. We introduced MGNREGA… introduced Food Security Act and helped labourers across sectors,” he said, while accusing the government of privatising PSUs.

Samajwadi Party MP Afzal Ansari called the amendment “a cover-up of the law's shortcomings,” and added, “During Covid, migrant labourers were treated horrifically…”

Trinamool Congress leader Kalyan Banerjee said, “These are your heydays… A day will come when the labourers… will show their power.”

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant warned, “The law being brought and its provisions are dangerous… I oppose it.”

Over 1000 athletes dropped from Khelo India: Mandaviya

Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday told the Rajya Sabha that 1,342 athletes have been removed from the Khelo India programme over the past three years for failing to meet performance standards or for doping offences.

“A total of 1,342 athletes have exited the programme during the last three years due to performance below the prescribed benchmarks and involvement in doping violations,” the minister said in a written reply. During the same period, 2,905 new athletes were inducted into the scheme.

He noted that performance criteria are reviewed each year. “...performance benchmarks are revised annually and are updated on the Khelo India website from time to time...Athlete performance is mapped and measured annually as per the prescribed protocols and in assessment camps,” Mandaviya said, adding that more than 23,000 athletes currently receive support under the programme.

On anti-doping efforts, he said, “The Government is committed to ensure clean sport,” citing steps to bolster NADA’s investigative capacity and coordination with agencies such as the CBI.

Chirag Paswan accuses Rahul Gandhi of disrupting Lok Sabha

Union Minister Chirag Paswan on Thursday accused Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi of repeatedly disrupting proceedings in the Lok Sabha during the Budget Session, describing his conduct as obstructive.

“A pattern is emerging where the Opposition and especially the Congress party pick up an issue and then do not allow the house to function. The way they are not allowing the house to function shows that they don't have any issues. Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi became so stubborn, and he only kept raising one issue, where neither he spoke nor did he allow anyone else (even from the Opposition) to speak,” Paswan told ANI.

He also referred to a tense moment during the motion of thanks to the President’s Address, when Gandhi attempted to cite an unpublished book by former Army chief General M.M. Naravane. “I was present in Parliament when I saw some women MPs from the opposition charging towards the Prime Minister's chair... Keeping the sensitivity of the situation in mind, the Prime Minister did not arrive in the Lok Sabha,” Paswan said.

On the controversy over citing the unpublished memoir, he added, “The rules clearly say that the issues raised in the parliament have to be authentic...Even after chair gave a fresh ruling that this issue cannot be discussed, Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi kept on raising the same issue.”

PM Modi praises Sitharaman’s Budget reply in Lok Sabha

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday praised Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for her response in the Lok Sabha to the debate on the Union Budget, saying she laid out the government’s economic roadmap in detail.

Sitharaman told the House that total expenditure for the next financial year has been pegged at Rs 53.47 lakh crore, marking a 7.7 per cent increase over the current fiscal year ending March 31. She also said effective capital expenditure is estimated at Rs 17.1 lakh crore, or 4.4 per cent of GDP.

In a post on X, Modi wrote, “In her speech in the Lok Sabha, Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman Ji gave a comprehensive picture of how this year's Budget will contribute to our nation's economic transformation. She emphasised Reform Express, the support to MSMEs, skilling, push to next-gen infrastructure, efforts to boost healthcare, education and more.”

The finance minister further stated that the fiscal deficit for FY27 has been projected at 4.3 per cent of GDP, amounting to Rs 16.95 lakh crore, and reiterated the government’s commitment to fiscal discipline under the FRBM framework, including reducing the debt-to-GDP ratio.

Supriya Sule seeks protection for contract workers

NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule on Thursday sought clarity on whether contract employees fall within the scope of the new Industrial Relations Code Bill, raising concerns about protections for a significant segment of the workforce.

“Forty-two per cent of workers in India are on contract. But gig workers and workers are not protected by this Bill, and in the past 10 years, PSUs like LIC and Mazagaon Docks have not made any contract worker permanent,” she said during the debate, arguing that precarious employment remains widespread, reported The Hindu.

Sule maintained that economic growth cannot come at the cost of vulnerable workers. “While we are not against capitalism, we cannot allow this government to build India’s progress on the backs of the poor, disenfranchised,” she said, urging the government to address what she described as structural gaps in labour safeguards.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi flags gaps in elder care, rail concessions

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Thursday flagged what she described as gaps in support for senior citizens, questioning the absence of targeted measures in recent policy decisions.

She referred to railway fare concessions that were withdrawn during the Covid-19 pandemic and have yet to be reinstated, asking why relief for elderly passengers has not been restored. Chaturvedi also argued that budgetary allocations do not adequately address elder care needs.

On healthcare, she pointed to rising medical costs and said tax deductions linked to health insurance have not kept pace with inflation. She further noted that Ayushman Bharat does not universally cover those above 60, with eligibility restricted to specific categories.

Emphasising the needs of ageing citizens, she said more attention must be given to people in the later stages of life who have spent decades contributing to the country’s workforce and development.