India: Contract of Employment

The Supreme Court examined the validity of Haryana Government's 2014 notifications that sought to regularize ad hoc employees, addressing the critical question of whether regularization without public advertisement violates principles of fair employment. The judgment distinguishes between employees appointed against sanctioned posts with proper qualifications versus those regularized arbitrarily based on length of service alone.

Outsourcing in India has traditionally been structured around commercial considerations such as operational flexibility, scalability, and cost efficiency, leading businesses across sectors to rely extensively on contract labour rather than direct employment on the principal employer’s payroll.

India's Code on Wages (Central) Rules, 2026 introduces significant procedural changes to wage regulation for central government establishments. The notification shifts from prescriptive statutory formulas to flexible government-determined criteria, mandates electronic compliance mechanisms, and establishes employee-centric processes for wage deductions and fines.

Labour Codes continue to evolve across Indian states with new draft rules and clarifications emerging in March and April 2026. Significant developments include expanded corporate criminal liability in the UK...

State governments across India are implementing significant amendments to their shops and establishments legislation, fundamentally altering operational hours, employee working conditions, and registration requirements.

Argus Partners presents its office locations and legal disclaimer, outlining the Bar Council of India's restrictions on advocate solicitation and advertising.

The hybrid working arrangements and economic variability, post-pandemic, has raised the culture of moonlighting. Employees take additional tasks and roles as a source of supplement earning, providing financial security and skill development.

As of November 21, 2025, the Indian labour law landscape was altered with the enforcement of 4 labour codes that subsumed a total of 29 central labour laws.

The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 ("OSH Code") consolidates 13 Central laws including key laws such as the Factories Act, 1948 and Contract Labour...