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Industrial Relations Code, 2020 · CHAPTER II — BI - PARTITE FORUMS

Section 3: Works Committee

Reviewed by Finin2min Editorial Desk · Last reviewed 30 August 2026

Section 3 — Governs works committee and the rights, duties, powers or procedure expressly stated in this section. Key operative text: (1) In the case of any industrial establishment in which one hundred or more workers are employed or have been employed on any day in the preceding twelve months, the appropriate Government may by general or special order…

Full official textSource checked: 20 August 20261 direct Central Rule link(s)

Current-law status

All provisions were brought into force from 21 November 2025 under S.O. 5320(E); use the current India Code consolidation because the Code also reflects the 2026 amendment/transition framework.

Primary sources

Provision / India Code ↗ · Official Act PDF ↗ · 2026 Central Rules ↗

Finin2min analysis — what the section actually does

Operative clauses

(1) In the case of any industrial establishment in which one hundred or more workers are employed or have been employed on any day in the preceding twelve months, the appropriate Government may by general or special order require the employer to constitute a Works Committee, in such manner as may be prescribed, consisting of representatives of employer and workers engaged in the establishment:
Provided that the number of representatives of workers in such Committee shall not be less than the number of representatives of the employer.
(2) The representatives of the workers shall be chosen, in such manner as may be prescribed, from among the workers engaged in the establishment and in consultation with their Trade Union, if any, registered in accordance with the provisions of section 9.
(3) It shall be the duty of the Works Committee to promote measures for securing and preserving amity and good relations between the employer and workers and, to that end, to comment upon matters of their common interest or concern and endeavour to compose any material difference of opinion in respect of such matters.

Provisos, explanations & qualifications

Provided that the number of representatives of workers in such Committee shall not be less than the number of representatives of the employer.

Thresholds and timelines in the text

Works Committee.—(1) In the case of any industrial establishment in which one hundred or more workers are employed or have been employed on any day in the preceding twelve months, the appropriate Government may by general or special order require the employer to constitute a Works Committee, in such manner as may be prescribed, consisting of…

Actors expressly appearing in the text

Employer, Worker, Appropriate Government, Trade union

Full statutory text — Section 3

Official English text transcribed from the current India Code consolidation; page headers/line breaks are normalised for web reading. The Gazette/India Code PDF remains authoritative for typography, amendment footnotes and schedules.

3. Works Committee.—(1) In the case of any industrial establishment in which one hundred or
more workers are employed or have been employed on any day in the preceding twelve months, the
appropriate Government may by general or special order require the employer to constitute a Works
Committee, in such manner as may be prescribed, consisting of representatives of employer and workers
engaged in the establishment:
  Provided that the number of representatives of workers in such Committee shall not be less than the
number of representatives of the employer.
   (2) The representatives of the workers shall be chosen, in such manner as may be prescribed, from
among the workers engaged in the establishment and in consultation with their Trade Union, if any,
registered in accordance with the provisions of section 9.
    (3) It shall be the duty of the Works Committee to promote measures for securing and preserving
amity and good relations between the employer and workers and, to that end, to comment upon matters
of their common interest or concern and endeavour to compose any material difference of opinion in
respect of such matters.

How to apply this provision

Primary statutory test — (1) In the case of any industrial establishment in which one hundred or more workers are employed or have been employed on any day in the preceding twelve months, the appropriate Government may by general or special order require the employer to constitute a Works Committee, in such manner as may be prescribed, consisting of representatives of employer and workers engaged in the establishment:
Additional operative limb — Provided that the number of representatives of workers in such Committee shall not be less than the number of representatives of the employer.
Qualification / exception to test — Provided that the number of representatives of workers in such Committee shall not be less than the number of representatives of the employer.
Numerical or timing control — Works Committee.—(1) In the case of any industrial establishment in which one hundred or more workers are employed or have been employed on any day in the preceding twelve months, the appropriate Government may by general or special order require the employer to constitute a Works Committee, in such manner as may be prescribed, consisting of…
Central Rule mapping — 5. Read the mapped provision together with this text rather than treating the concordance as a substitute for it.
Evidence file — retain facts and records proving the role/status of: Employer, Worker, Appropriate Government, Trade union.

Why this is section-specific: the operative-clause, exception, threshold and cross-reference panels above are extracted from Section 3 itself rather than a generic “trigger/control/evidence” template.

Rules, forms and cross-references

Direct 2026 Central Rule mapping

Rule 5

Forms mapped

No prescribed form is directly mapped in the current concordance.

Other sections cited in this text

Section 9

Related Labour Hub resources

Model Standing Orders, 2026 Labour litigation

A direct concordance is not exhaustive. Central/State jurisdiction, schemes, authority appointments, saved instruments and later notifications may change the practical route without changing the section wording.

Worked example

Suppose an industrial establishment reaches a step governed by works committee. HR/IR should create a dated file showing coverage, the competent authority/union status, required notice or application, service proof and the result. One operative text point to test is: “Works Committee.—(1) In the case of any industrial establishment in which one hundred or more workers are employed or have been employed on any day in the preceding twelve months, the appropriate Government may by general or special order require the employer to constitute a Work” Also test the express qualification/proviso before concluding the result. Read the mapped Central Rule(s) 5.

Illustration only; it is not statutory text or a substitute for applying the actual facts, jurisdiction, current rule/scheme and official instrument.

Q&A — Section 3

What does Section 3 of the Industrial Relations Code cover?

What is the main legal requirement or power in Section 3?

The first operative clause identified from the official text is: “(1) In the case of any industrial establishment in which one hundred or more workers are employed or have been employed on any day in the preceding twelve months, the appropriate Government may by general or special order require the employer to constitute a Works Committee, in such manner as may be prescribed, consisting of representatives of employer and workers engaged in the establishment:” Read it with the remaining subsections and any proviso below.

Does Section 3 contain a proviso or explanation?

Yes. A qualification extracted from the official text is: “Provided that the number of representatives of workers in such Committee shall not be less than the number of representatives of the employer.”

What time limit, percentage or amount appears in Section 3?

The provision contains this numerical/time expression: “Works Committee.—(1) In the case of any industrial establishment in which one hundred or more workers are employed or have been employed on any day in the preceding twelve months, the appropriate Government may by general or special order require the employer to constitute a Works Committee, in such manner as may be prescribed, consisting of…” Apply it only in the clause and context in which it appears.

Which 2026 Central Rules are linked to Section 3?

The current concordance maps Section 3 to Central Rule(s) 5.

Is Section 3 currently operative?

All provisions were brought into force from 21 November 2025 under S.O. 5320(E); use the current India Code consolidation because the Code also reflects the 2026 amendment/transition framework.

Source & verification trail

Act: Industrial Relations Code, 2020 — official India Code PDF ↗

Central Rules: Industrial Relations (Central) Rules, 2026 — G.S.R. 342(E), 8 May 2026 ↗

Official library: Ministry of Labour & Employment — Labour Codes ↗

Source check: 20 August 2026. Individual professional interpretation should be re-reviewed when the section, rules, notification, scheme, State overlay or controlling judgment changes.

Reliance note: This page is an educational legal-reference layer. Verify the current official text, the applicable Central/State rules, notifications, schemes and judicial decisions before acting on a live matter.