The Centre is considering to permit firms with up to 300 employees to hire or terminate their employees without seeking its approval, according to the new Industrial Relations Code Bill tabled in the Lok Sabha. As of now, companies with less than 100 employees are allowed to terminate or hire staff without the permission of the government.

Labour and Employment Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar also introduced the Code on Social Security 2020, and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 in the Lok Sabha.

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As per the bill, the companies, which have over 300 workers, are required to frame a standing order. The absence of a standing order will permit companies to frame arbitrary rules for workers. The Bills also suggest giving more freedom to the states to amend the labour laws.

The labour code was also criticised by Congress MPs Manish Tewari and Shashi Tharoor. Tiwari said that the Centre should have taken the suggestions of all stakeholders.

“These bills are a blow to the rights of workers”, he added.

Tharoor said that the government should have given at least two days for the house to study the details of the bill.

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An earlier draft bill circulated by the labour ministry for discussion had also proposed the criteria that companies having not less than 300 employees can hire and fire without the government’s permission.

However, this provision faced stiff opposition from trade unions and was not included in the 2019 bill.