Section 6: Criteria for registration
Reviewed by Finin2min Editorial Desk · Last reviewed 7 September 2026
Section 6 — Governs criteria for registration and the rights, duties, powers or procedure expressly stated in this section. Key operative text: (2) No Trade Union of workers shall be registered unless at least ten per cent. of the workers or one hundred workers, whichever is less, engaged or employed in the industrial establishment or industry with which it is…
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.
Provision / India Code ↗ · Official Act PDF ↗ · 2026 Central Rules ↗
2-minute answer
Section 6: Criteria for registration should be read as an operative legal provision, not just a heading. Use the statutory text, effective-date/amendment status, connected rules/forms and the factual checklist below before applying it.
What this page answers
- Finin2min analysis — what the section actually does
- Operative clauses
- Provisos, explanations & qualifications
- Thresholds and timelines in the text
- Actors expressly appearing in the text
Practical checklist
- Read the operative text and amendment/effective-date status first.
- Map the provision to connected rules, forms, notifications and exceptions.
- Apply the provision to the actual facts rather than relying on the section heading alone.
- Keep the document trail that proves dates, amounts, approvals and compliance steps.
Official sources
Related Finin2min guidance
Finin2min analysis — what the section actually does
Operative clauses
- (2) No Trade Union of workers shall be registered unless at least ten per cent. of the workers or one hundred workers, whichever is less, engaged or employed in the industrial establishment or industry with which it is connected are the members of such Trade Union on the date of making of application for registration.
- (3) Where an application has been made under sub-section (1) for registration of a Trade Union, such application shall not be deemed to have become invalid merely by reason of the fact that, at any time after the date of the application but before the registration of the Trade Union, some of the applicants, but not exceeding half of the total number of persons who made the application, have ceased to be members…
- (4) A registered Trade Union of workers shall at all times continue to have not less than ten per cent. of the workers or one hundred workers, whichever is less, subject to a minimum of seven, engaged or employed in an industrial establishment or industry with which it is connected, as its members.
Provisos, explanations & qualifications
- No proviso/explanation was separately extracted from this section text.
Thresholds and timelines in the text
- (2) No Trade Union of workers shall be registered unless at least ten per cent. of the workers or one hundred workers, whichever is less, engaged or employed in the industrial establishment or industry with which it is connected are the members of such Trade Union on the date of making of application for registration.
- (4) A registered Trade Union of workers shall at all times continue to have not less than ten per cent. of the workers or one hundred workers, whichever is less, subject to a minimum of seven, engaged or employed in an industrial establishment or industry with which it is connected, as its members.
Actors expressly appearing in the text
Worker, Trade union
Full statutory text — Section 6
6. Criteria for registration.—(1) Any seven or more members of a Trade Union may, by
subscribing their names to the rules of the Trade Union and by otherwise complying with the provisions
of this Code with respect to registration, apply for registration of the Trade Union under this Code.
(2) No Trade Union of workers shall be registered unless at least ten per cent. of the workers or one
hundred workers, whichever is less, engaged or employed in the industrial establishment or industry
with which it is connected are the members of such Trade Union on the date of making of application
for registration.
(3) Where an application has been made under sub-section (1) for registration of a Trade Union,
such application shall not be deemed to have become invalid merely by reason of the fact that, at any
time after the date of the application but before the registration of the Trade Union, some of the
applicants, but not exceeding half of the total number of persons who made the application, have ceased
to be members of the Trade Union or have given notice in writing to the Registrar dissociating
themselves from the application.
(4) A registered Trade Union of workers shall at all times continue to have not less than ten per cent.
of the workers or one hundred workers, whichever is less, subject to a minimum of seven, engaged or
employed in an industrial establishment or industry with which it is connected, as its members.How to apply this provision
- Primary statutory test — (2) No Trade Union of workers shall be registered unless at least ten per cent. of the workers or one hundred workers, whichever is less, engaged or employed in the industrial establishment or industry with which it is connected are the members of such Trade Union on the date of making of application for registration.
- Additional operative limb — (3) Where an application has been made under sub-section (1) for registration of a Trade Union, such application shall not be deemed to have become invalid merely by reason of the fact that, at any time after the date of the application but before the registration of the Trade Union, some of the applicants, but not exceeding half of the total number of persons who made the application, have ceased to be members…
- Numerical or timing control — (2) No Trade Union of workers shall be registered unless at least ten per cent. of the workers or one hundred workers, whichever is less, engaged or employed in the industrial establishment or industry with which it is connected are the members of such Trade Union on the date of making of application for registration.
- Evidence file — retain facts and records proving the role/status of: Worker, Trade union.
Rules, forms and cross-references
Direct 2026 Central Rule mapping
Forms mapped
No prescribed form is directly mapped in the current concordance.
Other sections cited in this text
Related Labour Hub resources
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 criteria for registration. 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: “(2) No Trade Union of workers shall be registered unless at least ten per cent. of the workers or one hundred workers, whichever is less, engaged or employed in the industrial establishment or industry with which it is connected are the members of such Trade Union on the date of ”
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 6
What does Section 6 of the Industrial Relations Code cover?
Section 6 — Governs criteria for registration and the rights, duties, powers or procedure expressly stated in this section. Key operative text: (2) No Trade Union of workers shall be registered unless at least ten per cent. of the workers or one hundred workers, whichever is less, engaged or employed in the industrial establishment or industry with which it is…
What is the main legal requirement or power in Section 6?
The first operative clause identified from the official text is: “(2) No Trade Union of workers shall be registered unless at least ten per cent. of the workers or one hundred workers, whichever is less, engaged or employed in the industrial establishment or industry with which it is connected are the members of such Trade Union on the date of making of application for registration.” Read it with the remaining subsections and any proviso below.
Does Section 6 contain a proviso or explanation?
No standalone proviso or explanation was extracted from this section text. Check the full text below for clause-level qualifications.
What time limit, percentage or amount appears in Section 6?
The provision contains this numerical/time expression: “(2) No Trade Union of workers shall be registered unless at least ten per cent. of the workers or one hundred workers, whichever is less, engaged or employed in the industrial establishment or industry with which it is connected are the members of such Trade Union on the date of making of application for registration.” Apply it only in the clause and context in which it appears.
Which 2026 Central Rules are linked to Section 6?
No direct Central Rule is recorded in the current concordance. That does not exclude a relevant scheme, notification, State rule or enabling provision.
Is Section 6 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.