Notification Record & Forms
Notification details and the forms every employer needs, in one place.
- Issuing authority
- Labour Department, Government of Puducherry (by order of the Lieutenant Governor, Puducherry)
- Notified
- Draft notified vide G.O. Ms. No. 04/AIL/Lab./T/2021 dated 3 November 2021, published in the Gazette of Puducherry Part II Extraordinary No. 45 dated 10 November 2021
- Objection window
- 30 days from the date copies of the Official Gazette were made available to the public, since closed
- Legal basis
- Section 99(1) of the Industrial Relations Code 2020 (Central Act No. 35 of 2020) read with Section 24 of the General Clauses Act 1897
- Supersedes
- The Industrial Tribunal (Procedure) Rules 1949, Industrial Tribunal (Central Procedure) Rules 1954, Industrial Disputes (Central) Rules 1957, and Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Central Rules 1946, as earlier applied in Puducherry
- Status as of
- Still a Draft Notification as of August 2026, with a fresh Industrial Relations Rules 2026 Preliminary Notification issued 9 June 2026 that employers should check for possible supersession
The Puducherry Code on Industrial Relations Rules 2021 is the Union Territory's draft rule book under the central Industrial Relations Code 2020. It replaces four separate central procedure rules that earlier governed industrial tribunals, industrial disputes, and standing orders in Puducherry, and brings works committees, grievance redressal, standing orders, notice of change, arbitration, strikes and lock outs, retrenchment, closure, and the worker reskilling fund under one set of rules.
Forms under the State Rules
Due Dates
Compliance deadlines, forms and how often each one recurs.
| Compliance | Form | Compliance Frequency | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Respond to Certifying Officer observation on Standing Orders | Not applicable (Rule 8(2)) | Event based | Within 30 days of the Certifying Officer's direction (else deemed adopted per Rule 8(3)) |
| File an appeal against a Certifying Officer order | Not applicable (Rule 13(1)) | Event based | Within 60 days of receipt of the order |
| Intimate authorities after receiving a strike notice | Not applicable (Rule 25(2)) | Event based | Within 5 days of receiving the notice |
| Intimate authorities after giving a lock out notice | Form VIII (Rule 25(3)) | Event based | Within 5 days of giving the notice |
| Give notice before retrenching a worker | Form IX (Rule 26) | Event based | Before retrenching a worker with a year or more of continuous service |
| Offer re employment to previously retrenched workers | Not applicable (Rule 27) | Event based | At least 10 days before filling the vacancy |
| Give notice before intended closure | Form IX (Rule 28) | Event based | Before the intended date of closure |
| Apply for permission before lay off | Form X (Rule 29) | Event based | At least 15 days before the intended lay off |
| Apply to continue a lay off | Form X (Rule 30) | Event based | Within 30 days of the lay off's commencement |
| Apply for permission before retrenchment | Form X (Rule 32) | Event based | At least 60 days before the intended retrenchment |
| Apply for permission before closure | Form X (Rule 34) | Event based | At least 90 days before the intended closure |
| Transfer reskilling fund contribution for a retrenched worker | Not applicable (Rule 36) | Event based | Within 10 days of retrenching the worker |
| Deposit compounding amount after notice | Form XI (Rule 37) | Event based | Within 15 days of 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 framework | Industrial Disputes Act 1947, Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act 1946, and Trade Unions Act 1926, applied through 4 separate central procedure rules | Consolidated into the single Industrial Relations Code 2020 with dedicated Puducherry Rules 2021 |
| Strike and lock out notice | Advance notice mandatory only in public utility services under the Industrial Disputes Act 1947 | Notice of strike or lock out now mandatory in all industrial establishments under the Code |
| Standing Orders applicability | Applied to establishments with 100 or more workers | Threshold raised to 300 or more workers |
| Government permission for lay off, retrenchment and closure | Required at 100 or more workers under Chapter VB of the Industrial Disputes Act | Threshold raised to 300 or more workers under Chapter X of the Code |
| Grievance redressal | No uniform statutory Grievance Redressal Committee requirement | Mandatory Grievance Redressal Committee in establishments with 20 or more workers, with defined escalation timelines |
| Worker reskilling | No reskilling fund obligation existed | Employer must contribute 15 days of wages per retrenched worker to a dedicated reskilling fund |
| Dispute adjudication forum | Separate Labour Court and Industrial Tribunal structure with region specific procedure rules | Unified 2 member Industrial Tribunal, comprising a Judicial Member and an Administrative Member |
| Filing and communication mode | Largely physical filing through the Conciliation Officer or Tribunal | Electronic filing and intimation enabled for most notices, applications, and returns |
Applicability
Who the Code covers, and who gets special or exempt treatment.
Covered
- Every industrial establishment in Puducherry to which the Industrial Relations Code 2020 applies
- Employers with 20 or more workers, who must constitute a Grievance Redressal Committee
- Industrial establishments with 300 or more workers, for Standing Orders certification and Government permission before lay off, retrenchment or closure
- Registered Trade Unions and their office bearers, for notice, statement, and protected worker obligations
- Employers retrenching workers, who must contribute to the Worker Reskilling Fund
- The whole of the Union Territory of Puducherry, including the Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam regions
Exempted / special treatment
- Establishments specifically exempted by the Government under the Code's exemption powers
- Establishments with fewer than 20 workers, where the Committee requirement does not apply
- Establishments below the 300 worker threshold, which follow simplified procedures under the Code
- Unregistered worker groups, who follow the alternative representative selection route under the Rules
- Lay off situations and closures, which do not attract a reskilling fund contribution
- Standing Orders language requirement varies by region, Tamil for Puducherry and Karaikal, Telugu for Yanam, and Malayalam for Mahe, in addition to English
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to what employers ask us most about this rule.
What is the Puducherry Code on Industrial Relations Rules 2021?
It is the Union Territory's draft rule book that applies the central Industrial Relations Code 2020 to industrial establishments in Puducherry. It sets out the local procedure for works committees, grievance redressal, standing orders, strikes, lock outs, retrenchment, and closure.
Is this notification final or still a draft?
It remains a Draft Notification. The 30 day objection window closed long ago without a confirmed final notification, and Puducherry has since issued a fresh Industrial Relations Rules 2026 Preliminary Notification that may replace this 2021 draft. Employers should verify the current position with the Labour Department.
Which laws do these Rules replace in Puducherry?
They supersede 4 central procedure rules that earlier governed Puducherry, namely the Industrial Tribunal (Procedure) Rules 1949, the Industrial Tribunal (Central Procedure) Rules 1954, the Industrial Disputes (Central) Rules 1957, and the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Central Rules 1946.
Does every establishment need a Works Committee?
A Works Committee is required only where the Government has issued an order under Section 3 of the Code applicable to that establishment. Once ordered, Rule 4 caps membership at 20 with balanced employer and worker representation.
When must an employer set up a Grievance Redressal Committee?
Establishments with 20 or more workers must constitute a Grievance Redressal Committee under the Code, with the composition and escalation timelines set out in Rule 5 to 7 of these Rules.
What happens if the Certifying Officer does not respond to a Standing Order intimation?
Under Rule 8(3), if the Certifying Officer raises no observation within 30 days of the employer's intimation, the Standing Order is deemed to have been adopted by the employer.
What is the Standing Orders applicability threshold under the Code?
The threshold has been raised from 100 workers under the earlier law to 300 or more workers under the Industrial Relations Code 2020.
How much advance notice is needed before retrenchment or closure?
Applications for Government permission must be filed at least 60 days before an intended retrenchment and at least 90 days before an intended closure, under Rule 32 and Rule 34 respectively, in establishments where such permission is required.
What is the Worker Reskilling Fund?
Under Rule 36, an employer retrenching a worker must transfer an amount equal to 15 days of that worker's last drawn wages into a Government maintained fund within 10 days, so the worker can use it for reskilling.
Who can represent a worker or employer in a proceeding?
Where a party is not represented by a Trade Union or employer association office bearer, Rule 20, 40 and 41 allow authorization of a representative using Form IV.
What is the language requirement for Standing Orders?
Certified Standing Orders must be maintained in English along with the regional language of the establishment's location, Tamil for Puducherry and Karaikal, Telugu for Yanam, and Malayalam for Mahe.
Can an offence under the Code be compounded?
Yes. Rule 37 allows a notified Gazetted Officer to compound offences. Once notified in Form XI, the employer must deposit the compounding amount within 15 days.
What is a protected worker?
A protected worker is a Trade Union office bearer whom the employer formally recognises for protection during the pendency of certain proceedings, following the annual nomination and recognition cycle in Rule 38.
Do these Rules cover the penalty amounts for offences?
No. The Rules mainly set out procedure. The actual fines and imprisonment terms for offences are laid down in Section 86 of the Industrial Relations Code 2020 itself, with Rule 37 covering only the compounding procedure.
Where can an employer check the current status of these Rules?
Employers can check the Notice Board and Acts and Rules sections of the Labour Department, Government of Puducherry website, or consult a labour law compliance advisor for the latest confirmed position.
Sources
Where every fact on this page comes from.
- → The Industrial Relations Code, 2020 (Central Act No. 35 of 2020), Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India (official)
- → Draft Puducherry Code on Industrial Relations Rules 2021, G.O. Ms. No. 04/AIL/Lab./T/2021 dated 3 November 2021, published in the Gazette of Puducherry Part II Extraordinary No. 45 dated 10 November 2021, Labour Department, Government of Puducherry (official)
- → The General Clauses Act, 1897 (Central Act No. 10 of 1897) (official)
- → Notice Board and Acts and Rules pages, Labour Department, Government of Puducherry (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.