Notification Record & Forms
Notification details and the forms every employer needs, in one place.
- Issuing authority
- Labour and Employment Department, Government of Jammu and Kashmir, Civil Secretariat, Jammu
- Notified
- Pre published as draft rules on 23 March 2026
- Objection window
- 45 days from the date the copies of the Official Gazette are made available to the public, closing around early May 2026
- Legal basis
- Section 99 of the Industrial Relations Code 2020 (35 of 2020), read with section 24 of the General Clauses Act 1897 and Notification S.O. 2750(E) dated 22 June 2023 issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India
- Supersedes
- The Jammu and Kashmir Trade Union Regulations 1972, the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Jammu and Kashmir Rules 1972, and the Industrial Disputes (Jammu and Kashmir State) Rules 1972
- Current Status
- Draft rules pending confirmation of a final gazette notification
If you run a factory, plantation or any other industrial establishment in Jammu and Kashmir, a fresh set of rules is about to change how you handle Works Committees, Trade Unions, strikes, lock outs, retrenchment and closure. The Jammu and Kashmir Government has pre published the Industrial Relation Rules 2026 under the central Industrial Relations Code, replacing three old laws that go back to 1972. This guide walks through the forms you will need to file, the due dates that matter, the key changes from the old regime, the penalties involved and the questions employers keep asking.
Forms under the State Rules
Due Dates
Compliance deadlines, forms and how often each one recurs.
| Compliance | Form | Compliance Frequency | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notice of change in conditions of service | Form VI (Rule 35) | As and when a change is proposed | Before the change takes effect, with a copy on the notice board |
| Notice of lock out to Trade Unions and Government | Form XII (Rule 42(1)) | As and when a lock out is intended | Before the lock out begins |
| Intimation of strike or lock out notice received or given, to the Labour Commissioner | Letter of intimation (Rule 42(2), Rule 42(3)) | As and when | Within 5 days of receiving or giving the notice |
| Intimation of retrenchment to Government | Form XIII (Rule 43) | As and when retrenching a worker | At least 30 days before the retrenchment |
| Intimation of closure to Government | Form XIII (Rule 45) | As and when closing down | At least 60 days before the closure |
| Notice or wages in lieu of notice to the worker being retrenched or affected by closure | Included with Form XIII (Rule 43, Rule 45) | As and when | At least one month before the retrenchment or closure, or pay in lieu |
| Application for permission of lay off (establishments with 300 or more workers) | Form XIV (Rule 46) | As and when | At least 15 days before the intended lay off |
| Application for permission of retrenchment (establishments with 300 or more workers) | Form XIV (Rule 49) | As and when | At least 60 days before the intended retrenchment |
| Application for permission of closure (establishments with 300 or more workers) | Form XIV (Rule 51) | As and when | At least 90 days before the intended closure |
| Transfer to the worker reskilling fund | Electronic transfer, no form number (Rule 53(2)) | Each retrenchment | Within 10 days of retrenching the worker |
| Annual return of the Trade Union | Form II (Rule 24) | Annual | By 31st July every year |
Key Provisions
What changed under the Code, and what it means for payroll.
Old Law vs. New Law
What employers followed before, against what applies now — point matched against point.
| On this point | Before — earlier law | Now — the new Code |
|---|---|---|
| Governing framework | Three separate laws, the Trade Union Regulations 1972, the Standing Orders Rules 1972 and the Industrial Disputes Rules 1972 | One consolidated Industrial Relations Code 2020 with these Rules 2026 covering all three subjects |
| Grievance mechanism | No dedicated statutory Grievance Redressal Committee, disputes went through conciliation or the courts | Mandatory Grievance Redressal Committee with defined composition and a fixed resolution timeline under the Code |
| Sole negotiating union recognition | No defined statutory threshold for recognizing a sole negotiating union | Clear threshold of 10 percent of workers or 100 workers, whichever is less, subject to a minimum of 7, or a Negotiating Council formula |
| Standing orders threshold | Applied to establishments with 100 or more workers | Applies to establishments with 300 or more workers |
| Lay off, retrenchment and closure permission | Government permission required for establishments with 100 or more workmen | Threshold raised to 300 or more workers, easing compliance for mid sized establishments |
| Worker reskilling fund | No such fund existed | New Chapter XI requires a contribution equal to 15 days of wages for every retrenched worker |
| Filing mode | Manual and paper based filing of notices, applications and returns | Electronic filing enabled through email, portal or digital mode for most compliances |
| Trade union subscription | No uniform statutory minimum fixed for admission or monthly subscription | Admission fee fixed at Rs 100 and minimum monthly subscription at Rs 30 per member |
Applicability
Who the Code covers, and who gets special or exempt treatment.
Covered
- All industrial establishments in Jammu and Kashmir to which the Industrial Relations Code 2020 applies
- Establishments employing 100 or more workers must constitute a Works Committee
- Establishments employing 20 or more workers must constitute a Grievance Redressal Committee
- Any 7 or more workers can apply to register a Trade Union
- Establishments employing 300 or more workers must prepare, certify and display Standing Orders
- Non seasonal mines, factories and plantations employing 300 or more workmen need prior government permission for lay off, retrenchment or closure
- Every employer retrenching a worker must contribute to the worker reskilling fund
Exempted / special treatment
- Establishments covered only where the Code itself extends to them, such as certain Railway and Mine establishments under Central control
- Establishments below 100 workers are not required to form a Works Committee
- Not mandatory for establishments below 20 workers to form a Grievance Redressal Committee
- No minimum establishment size applies to Trade Union registration
- Establishments below 300 workers may voluntarily adopt the Model Standing Orders but are not compelled to
- Seasonal establishments and those below 300 workmen follow the general notice provisions instead of the permission requirement
- No exemption is stated for any category of employer once a worker is retrenched
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to what employers ask us most about this rule.
What are the Jammu and Kashmir Industrial Relations Rules 2026?
They are draft rules pre published by the Labour and Employment Department of Jammu and Kashmir on 23 March 2026 under the Industrial Relations Code 2020. They set out the procedure for Works Committees, Grievance Redressal Committees, Trade Unions, Standing Orders, strikes, lock outs, retrenchment, closure and dispute resolution across the Union Territory.
Are these rules already in force in Jammu and Kashmir?
The document itself is a pre published draft with a 45 day objection window that closed around early May 2026. A July 2026 news report refers to the rules as notified, but a separate final gazette notification could not be traced. Employers should confirm the current status with the Labour and Employment Department before relying on these rules as final.
Which older laws do these rules replace?
They replace the Jammu and Kashmir Trade Union Regulations 1972, the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Jammu and Kashmir Rules 1972, and the Industrial Disputes (Jammu and Kashmir State) Rules 1972.
Does every establishment need to set up a Works Committee?
Only establishments covered by a government order under section 3 of the Code, generally those employing 100 or more workers, need to constitute a Works Committee with worker representation at least equal to employer representation.
What is a Grievance Redressal Committee and who must form one?
It is an internal body of equal employer and worker representatives, capped at 10 members, that resolves individual worker grievances. Establishments with 20 or more workers must form one, with proportional representation for women workers.
How is a sole negotiating union recognized under these rules?
A registered Trade Union qualifies once it has at least 10 percent of workers or 100 workers, whichever is less, subject to a minimum of 7 members. If more than one union exists, the one with 51 percent or more workers on the muster roll is recognized after verification. If no union meets that mark, a Negotiating Council is formed from unions with at least 20 percent support each.
What is the admission fee and monthly subscription for a Trade Union member?
Rule 20 fixes the admission subscription at Rs 100 and the minimum monthly subscription at Rs 30 per member.
Do all establishments need to prepare Standing Orders?
Only establishments employing 300 or more workers are required to prepare, get certified and display Standing Orders. Smaller establishments may voluntarily follow the Model Standing Orders but are not compelled to.
How much notice does an employer need to give before retrenching a worker?
The worker must get at least one month's notice or wages in lieu of notice, and the appropriate government must be intimated at least 30 days before an ordinary retrenchment under Rule 43. Establishments with 300 or more workers instead need prior government permission at least 60 days ahead under Rule 49.
When does an employer need government permission before a lay off, retrenchment or closure?
Non seasonal mines, factories and plantations employing 300 or more workmen need prior permission. The application must be filed at least 15 days before an intended lay off, 15 days before continuing an existing lay off, 60 days before a retrenchment, and 90 days before a closure.
What is the worker reskilling fund and how much must an employer contribute?
It is a fund created to help retrenched workers get reskilled. Under Rule 53, the employer transfers an amount equal to 15 days of the worker's last drawn wages within 10 days of the retrenchment, and the government credits it to the worker's account within 45 days.
Can Trade Union filings and notices be submitted electronically?
Yes. The rules allow registration applications, annual returns, change of particulars, communications and most other filings to be made electronically, by email or through a designated portal, in addition to registered post or speed post.
What happens if an employer commits an offence under the Code for the first time?
Under Rule 54, a compounding officer can send a notice offering to compound the offence. If the employer deposits the compounding amount within 15 days, no prosecution is launched for that offence.
How can a worker file a grievance or complaint?
A worker can file an application before the Grievance Redressal Committee under Rule 5, and if unresolved within 30 days, escalate it to the conciliation officer under Rule 6. A separate complaint under section 91 of the Code can be filed using Form XVI before the conciliation officer, arbitrator or Tribunal.
Where can an employer or worker raise objections on the draft rules?
Objections and suggestions can be sent to the Labour and Employment Department, Civil Secretariat, Jammu and Kashmir, within the 45 day objection window from the date the gazette copies were made public.
Sources
Where every fact on this page comes from.
- → The Jammu and Kashmir Industrial Relation Rules 2026 (draft), Notification dated 23 March 2026, Labour and Employment Department, Government of Jammu and Kashmir, File No. LC ENF 19 2026 2 (e 7725330) (official)
- → The Industrial Relations Code 2020 (Act 35 of 2020), Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India, including section 86 on penalties and section 89 on compounding of offences (official)
- → The Industrial Disputes (Jammu and Kashmir State) Rules 1972 (superseded)
- → Official website of the Labour Commissioner, Jammu and Kashmir (official)
For informational purposes only — not legal advice. State rules referenced here are subject to change on final notification. Verify current status with our compliance team before acting.