Notification Record & Forms
Notification details and the forms every employer needs, in one place.
- Issuing authority
- Department of Labour, Employment and Training, Union Territory of Lakshadweep Administration
- Notified
- 25 March 2026 (Kavaratti); published in the Lakshadweep Gazette Extraordinary, Vol. LXI No. 61 Notification F.No.08/02/2024 LE&T/73, dated 30 March 2026
- Objection window
- None stated in this gazette copy; an earlier draft of the same rules was published on 19 September 2025 with a 45 day objection window
- Legal basis
- Section 99 of the Industrial Relations Code, 2020 (35 of 2020), read with Ministry of Home Affairs Notification S.O. 273(E) dated 16 January 2023
- Supersedes
- The Lakshadweep Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Central (Amendment) Rules 2020, the Industrial Dispute Act (Lakshadweep Amendment) Regulation 2025, and rules framed under the Industrial Disputes Act 1947 by the UT Administration
- Current Status
- Still in draft, final notification pending
Lakshadweep has issued fresh rules under the Industrial Relations Code 2020, the central law that now governs Works Committees, Trade Unions, Standing Orders, strikes, lock outs, retrenchment and closure across the country. The Industrial Relations (Lakshadweep) Rules 2025 spell out how every one of these processes works locally, from the Grievance Redressal Committee an establishment must set up once it crosses 20 workers, to the new Worker Re Skilling Fund an employer must pay into when a worker is retrenched.
Forms under the State Rules
Due Dates
Compliance deadlines, forms and how often each one recurs.
| Compliance | Form | Compliance Frequency | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| File Memorandum of Settlement | Form I (Rule 3) | Event based | On reaching a settlement, with a copy sent to the Conciliation Officer |
| Constitute Works Committee | Not applicable (Rule 4) | One time, then ongoing | Forthwith once directed under Section 3 of the Code |
| Constitute Grievance Redressal Committee | Not applicable (Rule 5) | One time, then ongoing | Where the establishment employs 20 or more workers |
| Give notice of change in service conditions | Form VII (Rule 36) | Event based | Before the change takes effect |
| Sign and file Arbitration Agreement | Form VIII (Rule 37) | Event based | On agreeing to refer a dispute to voluntary arbitration |
| Intimate adoption of Model Standing Orders | Not applicable (Rule 26) | Event based | On adopting the Central Government model standing order |
| Give notice of lock out | Form XIII (Rule 44) | Event based | Before declaring the lock out |
| Intimate a worker's strike notice to authorities | Not applicable (Rule 44(2)) | Event based | Within 5 days of receiving the worker's notice |
| Give notice of intended retrenchment | Form XIV (Rule 45) | Event based | Before retrenching a worker with one or more years of continuous service |
| Give notice of intended closure | Form XIV (Rule 47) | Event based | Before the intended closure of the establishment |
| Apply for permission for lay off, retrenchment or closure (Chapter X establishments) | Form XV (Rules 48, 51 and 53) | Event based | At least 90 days before intended closure; reasonable prior notice for lay off and retrenchment |
| Transfer amount to Worker Re Skilling Fund | Not applicable (Rule 55) | Event based | Within 10 days of retrenching a worker |
| Deposit compounding amount | Form XVI Part III (Rule 57) | Event based | Within 15 days of receiving the compounding notice |
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 law | Industrial Disputes Act 1947, Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act 1946 and Trade Unions Act 1926, as applicable to Lakshadweep | Industrial Relations Code 2020, read with these Industrial Relations (Lakshadweep) Rules 2025 |
| Works Committee | Constituted under the Industrial Disputes Act with no dedicated Lakshadweep procedure | Detailed procedure under Rule 4, maximum 20 members, three year tenure |
| Grievance handling | Grievance Redressal Committee provisions existed but without a detailed local procedure | Rule 5 sets a 10 member cap, mandates women's representation, and a 30 day resolution timeline under the Code |
| Trade union recognition | No statutory concept of a sole negotiating union | Rule 18 recognises a union with 51 percent membership as the sole negotiating union, failing which a Negotiating Council is formed |
| Standing orders threshold | Applied to establishments with 100 or more workers under the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act 1946 | Code default is 300 or more workers, but Rule 35 raises the Lakshadweep exemption to establishments with fewer than 500 workers |
| Strike and lock out notice | Notice was mainly required in public utility services under the Industrial Disputes Act | Rules 43 and 44 require notice for every strike and lock out, not limited to public utility services |
| Lay off, retrenchment and closure permission threshold | Applied to establishments with 100 or more workers under the Industrial Disputes Act | Raised to 300 or more workers under Chapter X of the Code, with Rules 48 to 54 setting the Lakshadweep procedure |
| Worker Re Skilling Fund | No equivalent fund existed | Rule 55 requires the employer to transfer 15 days of last drawn wages within 10 days of retrenchment |
| Compounding of offences | Compounding provisions existed but were less structured | Rule 57 introduces a formal three part Form XVI process before a designated Compounding Officer, with a 15 day payment window |
Applicability
Who the Code covers, and who gets special or exempt treatment.
Covered
- Industrial establishments, industries and undertakings operating within the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, as defined under the Industrial Relations Code 2020
- Establishments directed to constitute a Works Committee under Section 3 of the Code
- Establishments employing 20 or more workers, which must set up a Grievance Redressal Committee
- Establishments employing 500 or more workers, which must maintain certified Standing Orders under Rule 35
- Establishments employing 300 or more workers on average per day in the preceding 12 months, for lay off, retrenchment and closure permission under Chapter X
- Trade unions of workers or employers with 7 or more members, which may apply for registration under Rule 10
Exempted / special treatment
- Establishments where the Central Government, and not the UT Administration, is the appropriate government; these follow the Industrial Relations Central Rules 2026 instead
- Establishments not so directed by the Government or an officer authorised under Section 100
- Establishments employing fewer than 20 workers
- Establishments employing fewer than 500 workers on any day in the preceding 12 months
- Establishments below the 300 worker threshold, which follow the general notice requirements of Chapter IX instead
- Associations with fewer than 7 members
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to what employers ask us most about this rule.
What are the Industrial Relations (Lakshadweep) Rules 2025?
They are the local rules that put the Industrial Relations Code 2020 into practice for the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, covering Works Committees, Trade Unions, Standing Orders, strikes, lock outs, retrenchment and the Worker Re Skilling Fund.
Are these rules currently in force?
The gazette copy dated 30 March 2026 reads as final, since it does not carry an objection window and states that the Administrator hereby makes the rules. An earlier draft was published in September 2025 with a 45 day objection window. Employers should confirm the current status with the Department of Labour, Employment and Training before relying on this as final.
Which law governed industrial relations in Lakshadweep before this?
The Industrial Disputes Act 1947, the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act 1946 and the Trade Unions Act 1926, as they applied to the Union Territory.
Does every establishment need a Works Committee?
No. A Works Committee is only mandatory where the Government, or an officer authorised under Section 100 of the Code, directs an establishment to constitute one under Section 3.
What is a Grievance Redressal Committee and when is it required?
It is a forum for resolving individual worker grievances. Every industrial establishment employing 20 or more workers must set up one, with equal employer and worker representation and adequate representation of women workers.
When must an employer prepare Standing Orders?
Rule 35 exempts establishments employing fewer than 500 workers from Chapter IV of these rules, so Standing Orders become mandatory once an establishment crosses that threshold.
How does an employer adopt the Model Standing Orders?
The employer intimates the certifying officer electronically of the date from which the Central Government's model standing order is adopted. If the certifying officer raises no objection within 30 days, the standing order is deemed adopted.
What is a Sole Negotiating Union and how is it recognised?
It is the Trade Union recognised by the employer as the sole body to negotiate on the employer's behalf. A union with 51 percent or more of the establishment's workers as members qualifies for this recognition under Rule 18.
What happens if no single union has 51 percent membership?
The employer must constitute a Negotiating Council made up of representatives from every registered Trade Union that has the support of at least 20 percent of the workers on the muster roll.
What notice must an employer give before changing service conditions?
The employer must give notice in Form VII to affected workers before making any change listed in the Third Schedule to the Code, and display the notice at the establishment.
Can an employer and workers refer a dispute to arbitration voluntarily?
Yes. Rule 37 allows the employer and workers to sign an Arbitration Agreement in Form VIII and refer their dispute to an arbitrator or arbitrators of their choice.
What is the process for giving notice of a strike or lock out?
A strike notice is signed by the union's President or General Secretary along with five elected worker representatives in Form XII. A lock out notice is given by the employer in Form XIII. Both must be endorsed to the Conciliation Officer and the Department.
What must an employer do before retrenching a worker?
The employer must give notice of the intended retrenchment in Form XIV to the UT Administration for any worker with one or more years of continuous service, and later transfer 15 days of wages to the Worker Re Skilling Fund within 10 days of retrenchment.
What is the Worker Re Skilling Fund?
A fund introduced under Rule 55, into which an employer transfers an amount equal to 15 days of a retrenched worker's last drawn wages, to be passed on to the worker within 45 days by the UT Administration.
What happens if an employer commits an offence under the Code?
Depending on the offence, the employer may face a fine, imprisonment, or both under Section 86 of the Code, or may be able to compound a compoundable offence under Rule 57 by depositing the compounding amount within 15 days of the notice.
Sources
Where every fact on this page comes from.
- → The Industrial Relations (Lakshadweep) Rules, 2025, Notification F.No.08/02/2024 LE&T/73 dated 25 March 2026, published in the Lakshadweep Gazette Extraordinary, Vol. LXI No. 61, dated 30 March 2026 (official)
- → Draft Industrial Relations (Lakshadweep) Rules 2025, published 19 September 2025 by the Department of Labour, Employment and Training, Union Territory of Lakshadweep Administration (official)
- → The Industrial Relations Code, 2020 (Act No. 35 of 2020), bare Act text, including Sections 86 and 89 (official)
- → Ministry of Home Affairs Notification S.O. 273(E) dated 16 January 2023, delegating powers under Section 99 of the Code to the UT of Lakshadweep Administration (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.