Notification Record & Forms
Notification details and the forms every employer needs, in one place.
If you run a factory, shop, plantation or any other industrial establishment in Karnataka, these Rules are the playbook your HR and compliance team will follow once notified. They translate the central Industrial Relations Code, 2020 into state level procedure, covering everything from registering a trade union to sending a lock out notice.
The draft replaces four separate Karnataka laws with a single rulebook. It sets out the forms employers must file, the timelines that apply, and the thresholds that decide which rule applies to which establishment.
Forms under the State Rules
Due Dates
Compliance deadlines, forms and how often each one recurs.
| Compliance | Form | Compliance Frequency | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amend a Standing Order as directed by the Certifying Officer | Within 30 days of receiving the direction | ||
| Appeal a Certifying Officer's order on Standing Orders | Within 60 days of receiving the order | ||
| Serve notice of a proposed change in service conditions | Before the change takes effect | ||
| Report a strike or lock out notice received or issued | Within 5 days of receiving or giving the notice | ||
| Offer re employment to a retrenched worker before filling a vacancy | At least 15 days before the vacancy is filled | ||
| Apply for permission before a lay off (300 or more workers) | Before the lay off is effected | ||
| Apply to continue a mine lay off caused by fire, flood, gas or explosion | Within 30 days of the lay off commencing | ||
| Apply for permission before a retrenchment (300 or more workers) | Before the retrenchment is effected | ||
| Apply for permission before a closure (300 or more workers) | At least 90 days before the intended closure date | ||
| Transfer Worker Re skilling Fund contribution for a retrenched worker | Within 10 days of the retrenchment | ||
| Respond to a trade union's list of proposed protected workers | Within 15 days of receiving the list | ||
| Deposit the compounding amount after a compounding notice | Within 15 days of receiving the notice | ||
| File a written statement after a Tribunal directs one | Within 30 days of the first hearing |
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 laws | Four separate laws: Trade Unions Act 1926 with Karnataka Trade Union Regulations 1958, Industrial Disputes Act 1947 with Karnataka Industrial Disputes Rules 1957, Industrial Employment Standing Orders Act 1946 with Karnataka Standing Orders Rules 1961, and the Industrial Tribunal Karnataka Procedure Rules 1955 | One Industrial Relations Code 2020 backed by a single set of Karnataka Rules covering trade unions, standing orders, disputes and the Tribunal |
| Standing Orders threshold | Applied to establishments with 100 or more workers | Applies only to establishments with 300 or more workers |
| Lay off, retrenchment, closure permission threshold | Government permission required at 100 or more workers | Threshold raised to 300 or more workers |
| Grievance redressal | No single dedicated committee mandated across establishments | Grievance Redressal Committee mandatory at 20 or more workers, with equal employer and worker representation |
| Trade union recognition | No statutory concept of a sole negotiating union at the state level | Sole negotiating union or negotiating council recognised by membership share under Rules 14 and 15 |
| Filing and registers | Manual filing with the Registrar of Trade Unions and the Labour Department | Electronic filing enabled for registration, standing orders, notices, awards and most communications, alongside manual options |
| Dispute resolution forums | Separate Labour Court, Industrial Tribunal and National Tribunal structures | A single State Industrial Tribunal with a Judicial Member and an Administrative Member |
| Support on retrenchment | No dedicated re skilling fund | Worker Re skilling Fund credits 15 days of wages to every retrenched worker within 45 days |
| Compounding of offences | No structured state level compounding mechanism | Structured compounding process before a Compounding Officer under Rule 55 |
Applicability
Who the Code covers, and who gets special or exempt treatment.
Covered
Exempted / special treatment
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to what employers ask us most about this rule.
What are the Industrial Relations (Karnataka) Rules, 2026?
They are the state level rules Karnataka has published to operationalise the Industrial Relations Code, 2020, covering trade unions, standing orders, strikes, lay off, retrenchment, closure and dispute resolution within the state.
Are these Rules already in force?
No. They are a draft published on 23 January 2026 for objections and suggestions. The Government will finalise the Rules after considering the objections received during the 45 days following publication, and the Rules take effect from the date of final publication.
Who can send objections or suggestions on the draft?
Anyone likely to be affected can send objections or suggestions to the Secretary to Government, Labour Department, Vikasa Soudha, Bengaluru, within 45 days of the notification dated 23 January 2026.
Which older Karnataka laws will these Rules replace?
Once finally notified, they repeal the Industrial Tribunal Karnataka Procedure Rules 1955, the Industrial Disputes Karnataka Rules 1957, the Industrial Employment Standing Orders Karnataka Rules 1961, and the Karnataka Trade Union Regulations 1958.
Does every employer in Karnataka need to prepare Standing Orders?
Only establishments with 300 or more workers on any day in the preceding 12 months need to certify Standing Orders. Smaller establishments fall outside this requirement.
What is a Grievance Redressal Committee and who needs one?
It is a joint employer and worker committee that hears individual worker grievances. Every establishment with 20 or more workers must set one up, capped at 10 members with equal representation from both sides.
How does an employer get permission before a lay off, retrenchment or closure?
Only establishments with 300 or more workers need prior permission. The employer applies to the State Government in Form XXX for lay off, Form XXXI for retrenchment or Form XXXII for closure, and simultaneously informs the workers and the Labour Commissioner.
What is the Worker Re skilling Fund?
A fund the employer pays into whenever a worker is retrenched. The employer transfers an amount equal to 15 days of the retrenched worker's last drawn wages within 10 days, and the Government credits it to the worker within 45 days.
Sources
Where every fact on this page comes from.
- → Government of Karnataka, Labour Department, Notification No. LD 1 LET 2021, Karnataka Gazette Part IVA, No. 97, dated 23 January 2026, publishing the draft Industrial Relations (Karnataka) Rules, 2026
- → The Industrial Relations Code, 2020 (Act No. 35 of 2020), Government of India
- → PRS Legislative Research, Bill Summary on the Industrial Relations Code, 2020
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.