Old Disputes vs. the New IR Code: Supreme Court Clarifies the Meaning of ‘Industry’
Supreme Court
Old Disputes vs. the New IR Code: Supreme Court Clarifies the Meaning of ‘Industry’
September 2026

In State of Uttar Pradesh v. Jai Bir Singh, a nine-judge Bench of the Supreme Court examined the definition of “industry” under Indian labour law. The judgment reaffirms the established test under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 for disputes governed by the earlier regime, while distinguishing the approach applicable under the Industrial Relations Code, 2020. For disputes arising under the new Code, the definition must be interpreted independently on the basis of its statutory language and legislative intent, providing greater clarity on how historical precedents and the new labour-law framework operate.

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