Karnataka notifies landmark Ordinance for gig workers’ welfare, setting national benchmark

By A Representative

In a major legislative breakthrough for gig and platform-based workers, the Government of Karnataka has officially notified the Karnataka Platform Based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Ordinance, 2025, following the Governor’s assent on May 7, 2025. This progressive move makes Karnataka the second Indian state, after Rajasthan, to enact a dedicated law for the social security and welfare of gig workers, with provisions that go significantly further in protecting workers' rights.

The ordinance is the result of sustained advocacy and collective efforts by a wide range of workers’ unions, civil society groups, academic institutions, and legal experts. Prominent among those acknowledged are the Indian Federation of App Based Transport Workers (IFAT), Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU), Joint Committee for Trade Union (JCTU), National Campaign Committee for Central Legislation on Construction Labour (NCC-CL), and several others including Jan Pahal, GIPSWU, and the Domestic Workers Rights Union. Research and legal support from institutions like IIIT-Bangalore, NLSIU's Centre for Labour Studies, Vidhi Karnataka, and others also played a pivotal role.

Key Provisions of the Ordinance:

1. Tripartite Welfare Board: A governing body with equal representation from gig workers, the state government, and aggregators. This board will serve as a deliberative and decision-making platform on gig workers' rights and welfare.

2. Mandatory Worker Registration: Aggregators are now obligated to ensure that all gig workers on their platforms are registered with the board.

3. Welfare Cess: A dedicated welfare cess of 1–5% will be levied on every app-based transaction. These funds will be pooled into a social security fund exclusively for gig workers.

4. Algorithmic Transparency: Workers will have the right to access information on algorithms that impact their work or earnings, along with detailed records of transactions and payments.

5. Fair Contracts and Labour Protections: Aggregators must enter into legally compliant contracts with workers, ensuring fair wages (based on piece or time rates), occupational safety, and social security measures on every transaction — a groundbreaking step in gig work regulation.

6. Protection from Arbitrary Deactivation: The law includes safeguards against unjust blocking of worker accounts or IDs.

7. Safe Working Environment: Platforms are required to ensure that working conditions are free from health risks and hazards.

8. Grievance Redressal Mechanism: A two-tier, time-bound mechanism will be established for worker registration issues and complaint resolution.

The ordinance has been hailed as a “critical measure” to rebalance the relationship between capital and labour in the digital economy. By embedding social protections within app-based transactions, the law uses digital platforms themselves as instruments of worker welfare, in contrast to their current use mainly for profit generation and customer convenience.

Activists also credited the Indian National Congress for championing gig workers' legislation in Rajasthan and Karnataka, and setting a national example. Rajasthan passed the first such law in 2023, and Telangana has also proposed a draft bill, now awaiting legislative passage.

Speaking on the occasion, representatives from Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS), Soochna Evum Rozgar Adhikar Abhiyan (SR Abhiyan), and Social Accountability Forum for Action and Research (SAFAR) expressed hope that other states—and the central government—will treat these provisions as a minimum standard for future legislation.

They urged Rajasthan to swiftly notify implementation rules for its Act and called on all political parties to prioritize the rights of gig and platform workers as part of India’s evolving labour framework.

Comments

Academics urge Azim Premji University to drop FIR against Student Reading Circle

By A Representative A group of academics and civil society members has issued an open letter to the leadership of Azim Premji University expressing concern over the filing of a police complaint that led to an FIR against a student-run reading circle following a recent incident of violence on campus. The signatories state that they hold the university in high regard for its commitment to constitutional values, critical inquiry and ethical public engagement, and argue that it is precisely because of this reputation that the present development is troubling.

'Policy long overdue': Coalition of 29 experts tells JP Nadda to act on SC warning label order

By A Representative In a significant development for public health, the Supreme Court of India has directed the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to seriously consider implementing mandatory front-of-pack warning labels on pre-packaged food products. The order, passed by a bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K.V. Viswanathan on February 10, 2026, comes as the Court expressed dissatisfaction with the regulatory body's progress on the issue.

Vaccination vs screening: Policy questions raised on cervical cancer strategy

By A Representative A public policy expert has written to Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda raising a series of concerns regarding the national Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign launched on February 28 for 14-year-old girls.

UAPA action against Telangana activist: Criminalising legitimate democratic activity?

By A Representative The National Investigation Agency's Hyderabad branch has issued notices to more than ten individuals in Telangana in connection with FIR No. RC-04/2025. Those served include activists, former student leaders, civil rights advocates, poets, writers, retired schoolteachers, and local leaders associated with the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Indian National Congress.

The new anti-national certificate: If Arundhati Roy is the benchmark, count me in

By Dr. Mansee Bal Bhargava* Dear MANIT Alumni Network Committee, “Are you anti-national?” I encountered this fascinating—some may say intimidating—question from an elderly woman I barely know, an alumna of Maulana Azad College of Technology (MACT, now Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology - MANIT), Bhopal, and apparently one of the founders of the MACT (now MANIT) Alumni Network. The authority with which she posed the question was striking. “How much anti-national are you? What have you done for the Alumni Network Committee to identify you as anti-national?” When I asked what “anti-national” meant to her and who was busy certifying me as such, the response came in counter-questions.

Development vs community: New coal politics and old conflicts in Madhya Pradesh

By Deepmala Patel* The Singrauli region of Madhya Pradesh, often described as “India’s energy capital,” has for decades been a hub of coal mining and thermal power generation. Today, the Dhirouli coal mine project in this district has triggered widespread protests among local communities. In recent years, the project has generated intense controversy, public opposition, and significant legal and social questions. This is not merely a dispute over one mine; it raises a larger question—who pays the price for energy development? Large corporate beneficiaries or the survival of local communities?

Minority concerns mount: RTI reveals govt funded Delhi religious meet in December

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* Indian Muslims have expressed deep concern over what they describe as rising hate speech and hostility against their community under the BJP-led government in India. A recent flashpoint was the event organised by Sanatan Sanstha titled “Sanatan Rashtra Shankhnad Mahotsav” in New Delhi on 13–14 December 2025.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Rajiv Shah Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

From neglect to progress: The story of Ranavara’s community-led development

By Bharat Dogra Visitors to Ranavara, a remote village in Kherwara block of Udaipur district, are often surprised by its multi-dimensional progress. The village today is known for its impressive school building, regenerated pastures, expanded tree cover, and extensive water conservation and supply works. These achievements are the outcome of sustained community efforts over several years, demonstrating how small, consistent initiatives can lead to significant change.

Search This Blog