Notification Record & Forms
Notification details and the forms every employer needs, in one place.
- Issuing authority
- Labour and Employment Department, Administration of Union Territory of Ladakh
- Notified
- S.O. 238, dated 30 July 2026; published in the Ladakh Gazette Extraordinary on 2 September 2026
- Objection window
- 45 days, on the pre published draft S.O. 177 dated 23 April 2026 (now closed and considered)
- Legal basis
- Sections 133 and 135 of the Occupational Safety Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020, read with MHA notification S.O. 2751(E) dated 22 June 2023 and Section 24 of the General Clauses Act, 1897
- Supersedes
- J&K BOCW Rules 2006, J&K Factories Rules 1972, Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) J&K Rules 1972, Inter State Migrant Workmen J&K Rules 1984, J&K Motor Transport Workers Rules 1972, and other corresponding J&K era rules and notifications
- Current Status
- In-force, Final Notification Published
The Labour and Employment Department, Union Territory of Ladakh, has notified the Ladakh Occupational Safety Health and Working Conditions Rules, 2026, replacing the old Jammu and Kashmir era laws that Ladakh had been running on since 2019. The Rules bring registration, licensing, safety committees, working hours, contract labour protection and migrant worker welfare under one unified, portal driven system for the Union Territory.
Forms under the State Rules
Due Dates
Compliance deadlines, forms and how often each one recurs.
| Compliance | Form | Compliance Frequency | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registration | Form 04 (Rule 6(1)) | One time, before commencing work | Before employing any worker in a covered establishment |
| Notice of commencement or cessation | Form 07 or Form 08 (Rule 11) | Event based | Before the commencement or cessation of work, within the period specified |
| Medical examination of employees above 45 years | Form 09 (Rule 12) | Annual | Within 120 days from the commencement of the year |
| Medical examination for hazardous work | Form 09 (Rule 12) | Biannual | Within 30 days from the first of January and the first of July |
| Notice of accident resulting in death or injury | Form 10 (Rule 13) | Event based | Forthwith, on occurrence of the accident |
| Notice of dangerous occurrence | Form 11 (Rule 14) | Event based | Forthwith, on occurrence |
| Notice of disease | Form 12 (Rule 15) | Event based | Forthwith, on a scheduled disease occurring |
| Report of remedial action on imminent danger | Form 14 (Rule 17) | Event based | Within 24 hours of remedial action being taken |
| Annual return | Form 21 (Rule 50) | Annual | As prescribed following the close of the calendar year |
| Safety Committee meeting | Minutes to be recorded (Rule 31) | Quarterly | At least once every quarter |
| Monthly return | Form 39 (Rule 108(4)) | Monthly | Every month, for establishments covered under the relevant chapter |
| Contractor licence renewal | Form 51 (Rule 99) | Periodic, before expiry | Before expiry of the existing licence |
| Social security fund contribution | Form 50 (Rule 151) | One time, at registration | At the time of registration, ten rupees per worker |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Number of governing laws | Five separate Jammu and Kashmir era laws, each with its own registration and compliance requirements | One unified Code and one set of Ladakh Rules covering factories, contract labour, beedi and cigar work, building and construction work, and inter state migrant workers |
| Registration | Separate registration or licence required under each individual law | Single electronic registration under section 3 of the Code, filed in Form 04 through the portal |
| Licensing | Separate licences needed for a factory, for engaging contract labour, and for beedi or cigar work | A common licence can cover a factory, contractor engagement, and beedi or cigar work in a single application |
| Inspecting authority | Multiple inspecting officers under different laws, such as a Factory Inspector and a Labour Commissioner | A single Inspector cum Facilitator with a facilitative and advisory mandate |
| Mode of compliance | Largely paper based filings and physical registers | Electronic filing, digital or electronic signatures, and portal based submissions for most forms |
| Safety Committee and Safety Officer | Requirement largely confined to factories under the Factories Act | Uniform threshold based requirement across factories, and establishments handling hazardous substances or hazardous processes |
| Women's working hours | Restrictions on employing women beyond fixed hours under the Factories Act | Women may be employed before 6 AM and after 7 PM, subject to consent and prescribed safeguards |
| Penalty structure | Penalties varied across each predecessor law, with several offences attracting only nominal fines | A uniform penalty structure under the Code, with an enhanced general penalty of two lakh to three lakh rupees |
Applicability
Who the Code covers, and who gets special or exempt treatment.
Covered
- Factories employing 20 or more workers using power, or 40 or more workers without power
- Establishments engaging beedi or cigar workers
- Establishments engaging contract labour through a contractor
- Establishments engaging inter state migrant workers
- Building or other construction work establishments
- Motor transport undertakings and audio visual production establishments as defined under the Code
Exempted / special treatment
- Offices of the Central Government and the State Government, except in respect of contract labour employed through a contractor in such offices
- Mines, which fall under separate provisions of the Code
- Establishments engaging contract labour below the threshold prescribed under the Code
- Workers recruited directly without the involvement of a contractor, subject to the Code's definitions
- Establishments already registered under a corresponding central law, which are deemed registered without a fresh application
- Establishments specifically exempted by the Administration of Union Territory of Ladakh in the public interest
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to what employers ask us most about this rule.
What are the Ladakh Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Rules 2026?
They are the draft state rules framed by the Administration of Union Territory of Ladakh under the central OSH Code 2020, setting out how factories, contract labour, beedi and cigar establishments, building and construction work, and inter state migrant workers will be registered, licensed and regulated in Ladakh.
When were the draft rules notified?
They were notified on 23 April 2026 through Notification S.O. 177 issued by the Labour and Employment Department, Administration of Union Territory of Ladakh.
Which earlier laws do these rules replace?
They propose to replace five Jammu and Kashmir era laws as applicable to Ladakh, namely the BOCW Rules 2006, the Factories Rules 1972, the Contract Labour Rules 1972, the Inter State Migrant Workmen Rules 1984, and the Motor Transport Workers Rules 1972.
Have the rules been finally notified?
No. As of August 2026 they remain in draft form, and no final notification bringing them into force could be traced.
What was the objection window and has it closed?
The rules carried a 45 day objection window from the date of publication, which closed around 7 June 2026. Objections could be sent to the Secretary, Labour and Employment Department, Administration of Union Territory of Ladakh.
When will these rules actually come into force?
Rule 1 states that they will come into force on the date the central OSH Code is enforced in Ladakh, once the state rules are finally notified.
Who needs to register under these rules?
Every establishment covered under section 3 of the Code, including factories, beedi and cigar establishments, building and construction work, and establishments engaging contract labour or inter state migrant workers, must register.
How does an employer register an establishment?
The employer applies to the Registering Officer in Form 04 through the portal, uploading proof of identity and address, and the application must be digitally or electronically signed.
What is a common licence and who needs one?
A common licence, applied for in Form 51, can cover a factory, engagement of contract labour, and beedi or cigar work in a single application, replacing the need for separate licences under each predecessor law.
Is a Safety Committee mandatory for every establishment?
No. It is mandatory only where an establishment employs 250 or more employees, or 50 or more employees where hazardous substances or hazardous processes are involved.
When must a Safety Officer be appointed?
Factories employing between 500 and 1000 workers, and hazardous process or construction establishments employing between 250 and 500 workers, must appoint a Safety Officer, with additional officers required as the workforce grows.
What records must an employer maintain?
Employers must maintain registers such as the muster roll, health register, register of accidents and dangerous occurrences, leave with wages register, and register of contractors, among others specified across the rules.
What happens if an employer fails to comply?
Contraventions attract penalties under sections 94 to 103 of the Code, ranging from a general fine of two lakh to three lakh rupees to imprisonment for offences involving hazardous processes or accidents.
Can penalties be compounded?
Yes. Rule 150 allows an application for composition of certain offences to be made in Form 48, which is decided by a notified officer within seven days.
Where can employers get more information or file objections?
Employers can contact the Secretary, Labour and Employment Department, Administration of Union Territory of Ladakh, Civil Secretariat, Leh, or write to secy.labemp@gmail.com.
Sources
Where every fact on this page comes from.
- → The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code 2020, Act No. 37 of 2020 (official)
- → Draft Ladakh Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Rules 2026, Notification S.O. 177 dated 23 April 2026, Labour and Employment Department, Administration of Union Territory of Ladakh (official)
- → Ministry of Home Affairs Notification S.O. 2751(E) dated 22 June 2023 (official)
- → The General Clauses Act 1897 (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.