A DEDICATED LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR DOMESTIC WORKERS

NEWS: A committee constituted on the Supreme Court’s directions has concluded that domestic workers do not require a separate law, arguing they are already covered under existing labour codes.

ABOUT  

Expert committee report (July 2025) -to the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment, formed following a Supreme Court order dated 29 January 2025, to examine whether India needs a dedicated legal framework for domestic workers’ welfare, protection and regulation

HIGHLIGHTS

• The report implied that better enforcement of existing laws, rather than new legislation, should address workers’ vulnerabilities.
• It emphasised coordination among labour, women & child development, social justice and law ministries instead of a standalone law.
• The committee held that domestic workers are already covered under India’s four labour codes.
• It cited the Code on Wages (2019), Industrial Relations Code (2020), OSH Code (2020) and Social Security Code (2020) as providing sufficient legal protection