Notification Record & Forms
Notification details and the forms every employer needs, in one place.
- Issuing authority
- Government of Manipur, Secretariat: Skills, Labour, Employment and Entrepreneurship Department
- Notified
- 18 June 2026, published in Manipur Gazette Extraordinary No 136 dated 25 June 2026
- Objection window
- 45 days from the date gazette copies are made available to the public, expected to close around 9 August 2026
- Legal basis
- Section 99 of the Industrial Relations Code 2020 (Act No 35 of 2020)
- Supersedes
- Draft notification No 5/44/2018 L&E(Pt 1) dated 19 November 2021, and all rules framed under the earlier Trade Unions Act 1926, Industrial Disputes Act 1947 and Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act 1946, which stand repealed under Section 104 of the Code
- Status as of
- 23 July 2026, still a draft awaiting objections and final notification
The Government of Manipur has released the draft Industrial Relations (Manipur) Rules 2026 for public comment. The rules are not final yet. They will only take legal effect once the state government reviews all objections and publishes the final rules in the Manipur Gazette.
The Skills, Labour, Employment and Entrepreneurship Department published this draft on 18 June 2026 and printed it in the Manipur Gazette Extraordinary No 136 dated 25 June 2026. The department is inviting suggestions and objections from employers, workers, trade unions and the general public for 45 days from the date the gazette copies reach the public, which works out to around 9 August 2026.
Once this window closes, the department will consider every objection before notifying the final rules that will govern trade unions, works committees, standing orders, strikes, lock outs, lay offs, retrenchment and closure across every industrial establishment in the state.
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 service conditions | Form VI | Event based | Before the change takes effect |
| Notice of lock out | Form XII | Event based | Before declaring the lock out; intimation to the Labour Commissioner and Conciliation Officer within 5 days of giving or receiving a strike or lock out notice |
| Intimation of retrenchment | Form XIII | Event based | At least 30 days before the retrenchment date |
| Intimation of closure | Form XIII | Event based | At least 60 days before the closure date |
| Application for lay off permission | Form XIV | Event based | At least 15 days before the intended lay off |
| Application to continue lay off | Form XIV | Event based | At least 15 days before expiry of the earlier lay off |
| Application for retrenchment permission | Form XIV | Event based | At least 60 days before the intended retrenchment |
| Application for closure permission | Form XIV | Event based | At least 90 days before the intended closure |
| Worker re skilling fund contribution | No form, direct transfer | Every retrenchment | Within 10 days of retrenching a worker |
| Application to compound an offence | Form XV | Event based | Within 15 days of receiving the compounding notice |
| Trade union annual return and audit | Form II | Annual | On or before 31 March every year |
| Protected worker list exchange | No form | Annual | Union informs employer before 30 April; employer responds within 15 days |
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 | Three separate laws: Trade Unions Act 1926, Industrial Disputes Act 1947 and Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act 1946 | One consolidated Industrial Relations Code 2020, with a single set of Manipur rules covering all three areas |
| Threshold for lay off, retrenchment and closure permission | 100 or more workers | 300 or more workers |
| Threshold for standing orders | 100 or more workers | 300 or more workers |
| Strike and lock out notice | Only workers in public utility services had to give advance notice | Every worker and every employer must give 14 to 60 days notice before any strike or lock out |
| Grievance Redressal Committee | Applied broadly to establishments with 20 or more workers, with no reservation for women | Reserved seats for women workers in proportion to the female workforce |
| Recognition of negotiating union | No statutory recognition mechanism; recognition was largely voluntary | A single union with at least 25% membership is automatically recognised as the sole negotiating union |
| Worker re skilling fund | No such fund existed | Employer must contribute 15 days of wages per retrenched worker into a dedicated re skilling fund |
| Time limit to raise a dispute before the Tribunal | No uniform statutory limit | One year from the date the dispute arose |
| Compounding of offences | Very limited scope to compound offences | Most offences can be compounded by paying 50% of the maximum fine for fine only offences, or 75% for offences carrying both fine and imprisonment up to one year |
| Trade union registration fee | A nominal fee prescribed under the old Trade Unions Rules | Rs 3,000 for registration or a duplicate certificate, and Rs 1,500 per set of rule alterations |
Applicability
Who the Code covers, and who gets special or exempt treatment.
Covered
- Every industrial establishment in Manipur once the rules are finalised, including factories, mines, plantations and other notified establishments
- All registered trade unions of workers and employers operating in the state
- Workers as defined under the Code, including fixed term employees
- Employers, once an establishment crosses the 300 worker mark, for standing orders and the prior permission regime
Exempted / special treatment
- Establishments of a seasonal character, or where work happens only intermittently, are exempt from the prior permission regime for lay off, retrenchment and closure
- Mines facing fire, flood, excess inflammable gas or explosion get a special 30 day window to apply for continuing a lay off
- Federations of trade unions do not need to file the membership return required of ordinary unions
- The State Government can exempt any new industrial establishment or class of establishments from all or part of the Code in the public interest
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to what employers ask us most about this rule.
Are the Manipur Industrial Relations Rules 2026 already in force?
No. These are draft rules open for public objections. They become binding only after the state government reviews the feedback and publishes the final version in the Manipur Gazette.
When does the objection window close?
The window runs for 45 days from the date printed copies of the gazette reach the public, which puts the likely closing date around 9 August 2026.
Who can send in objections or suggestions?
Any person or organisation likely to be affected, including employers, workers and trade unions, can write to the Secretary of the Skills, Labour, Employment and Entrepreneurship Department, or email labemp123@gmail.com.
What format should objections follow?
The department wants a table with four columns: the name and address of the person or organisation, the chapter and rule being commented on, the revised wording proposed, and the reasons for the change.
Which forms does an employer in Manipur actually need to track?
Five forms matter most for employers: Form VI for notice of change, Form XII for lock out notice, Form XIII for retrenchment or closure intimation, Form XIV for lay off, retrenchment and closure permission, and Form XV for compounding an offence.
Does the 300 worker threshold apply to every establishment?
It applies to the standing orders requirement and to the prior permission regime for lay off, retrenchment and closure. Smaller establishments still have to pay compensation and give notice, just without needing government permission first.
What happens if no trade union in an establishment crosses the 25% membership mark?
Rule 18 sets 25% membership as the bar for automatic recognition as the sole negotiating union. Where no union meets it, or where more than one union operates, the establishment falls back on a negotiating council made up of union representatives in proportion to their membership.
How much notice does a worker need to give before a legal strike?
The Industrial Relations Code 2020 requires a minimum of 14 days and a maximum of 60 days notice before a strike or lock out, and the Manipur draft rules prescribe Form XI and Form XII for giving that notice.
What is the worker re skilling fund?
It is a fund every employer contributes to whenever a worker is retrenched. The employer must transfer 15 days of that worker's last drawn wages within 10 days, and the state government credits it to the worker's account within 45 days for use on re skilling.
Can an employer settle an offence without going to court?
Yes, for most offences. Rule 56 lets an employer apply to compound an offence by paying 50% of the maximum fine for offences that carry only a fine, or 75% for offences that carry both a fine and imprisonment up to one year.
What changes for trade unions compared to the earlier law?
Registration now costs Rs 3,000 instead of a nominal fee, annual audits are mandatory once membership crosses 250, and a union needs at least 25,000 verified members across four or more industries to be recognised as a state trade union.
Where should compliance forms be submitted?
Most forms go electronically or by speed post to the Labour Commissioner, the concerned Deputy Labour Commissioner, or the Conciliation Officer for the area, depending on the form. Several forms also require a copy to the Secretary of the department and to the concerned registered trade union.
Do Works Committees and Grievance Redressal Committees continue under the new rules?
Yes. Both continue with largely the same structure as before, though the Grievance Redressal Committee now carries a mandatory reservation for women workers in proportion to the female workforce.
Is there a fee for registering a trade union in Manipur under these draft rules?
Yes. Registration costs Rs 3,000, a duplicate certificate costs Rs 3,000, and altering the union rules costs Rs 1,500 per set of alterations.
What should an HR or compliance team in Manipur do right now?
Read through the draft rules, map out which of the five employer facing forms apply to the establishment, note the 300 worker threshold, and consider sending in objections before the window closes around 9 August 2026 if any provision needs a change.
Sources
Where every fact on this page comes from.
- → Manipur Gazette Extraordinary No 136 dated 25 June 2026, Government of Manipur, Secretariat: Skills, Labour, Employment and Entrepreneurship Department (official)
- → The Industrial Relations Code 2020 (Act No 35 of 2020), Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India (official)
- → Draft notification No 5/44/2018 L&E(Pt 1) dated 19 November 2021, Government of Manipur (official)
- → PRS Legislative Research, Bill Track summary of the Industrial Relations Code 2020 (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.