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

Hyderabad protest demands end to Operation Kagar as senior Maoist leaders killed in encounter

By Harsh Thakor* A protest was held on June 17 at Indira Park in Hyderabad by the Shanti Charchala Committee, calling for an end to Operation Kagar and the start of peace talks with Maoist groups. The event brought together representatives from several political parties and civil society organizations. Among those who addressed the gathering were CPI (ML) New Democracy Central Committee member Vemulapalli Venkatramayya, along with leaders from the Congress, BRS, CPI, CPM, Telangana Janasamithi, MCPI, SUCI, CPI ML, RSP, and VCK. The programme also featured performances by cultural groups such as CLC, HRF, TVV, Arunodaya, Praja Kala Mandali, and Praja Natya Mandali. Public figures including actors Narayana Murthy and Tudundebba Upendar and academics like Professor Anver Khan and Professor Vinayaka Reddy participated as speakers.

Food security crisis persists in Gujarat despite NFSA: Survey reveals grim ground reality

By A Representative A new field-based survey conducted in January 2025 across Dahod, Panchmahals, Morbi, and Bhavnagar districts has revealed alarming levels of food insecurity among vulnerable communities in Gujarat, ten years after the implementation of the National Food Security Act (NFSA). Conducted by Anandi – Area Networking and Development Initiatives (ASAA) and community organisations working with mahila sangathans, the Gujarat Food Security Survey covered 1,261 households, purposively chosen to reflect the experiences of marginalised populations including Adivasis, OBCs, single women, the disabled, and the elderly. The findings suggest that despite the promises of NFSA and wide coverage under the Public Distribution System (PDS), food deprivation remains widespread and systemic failures continue to exclude the most vulnerable.

Land under siege: A silent crisis, desertification is threatening India’s future

By Raj Kumar Sinha* Desertification is emerging as one of the gravest environmental challenges of our time. Marked annually on June 17, the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought reminds us that the fate of our planet’s land—and the billions who depend on it—is hanging in the balance.

Victim to cricketing politics, Alvin Kalicharan was a most organized left handed batsman

By Harsh Thakor* On March 21st Alvin Kalicharan celebrates his 75th birthday. Sadly, his exploits have been forgotten or overlooked. Arguably no left handed batsman was technically sounder or more organized than this little man. Kalicharan was classed as a left-handed version of Rohan Kanhai. Possibly no left-handed batsmen to such a degree blend technical perfection with artistry and power.

Central London discussion to spotlight LGBTQ+ ex-Muslim rights and persecution

By A Representative On June 13, 2025, the Dissident Club in Central London will host a public discussion to mark the 18th anniversary of the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (CEMB) and to commemorate World Refugee Day. The event, scheduled from 7:00 to 9:00 pm, will feature speakers Ali Malik, Maryam Namazie, and Taha Siddiqui, who are expected to address the intersecting challenges faced by LGBTQ+ ex-Muslims globally.

Citizens demand judicial probe into Ahmedabad plane crash, cite neglect of intern doctors, victims' families

By A Representative A wide coalition of concerned citizens, academics, medical professionals, social activists, and public intellectuals has submitted a petition to the Prime Minister of India demanding an urgent judicial inquiry into the recent tragic airplane crash in Ahmedabad that claimed over 240 lives. The petition, coordinated by the Movement for Secular Democracy (MSD), calls for a high-level judicial committee, headed by a retired High Court justice and comprising eminent citizens, to investigate the incident beyond the scope of the existing technical committee.

Better halves lead the way as organic farmers, entrepreneurs and social reformers

By Bharat Dogra Two major challenges continue to limit the full participation of rural women in development. First, their crucial roles, potential, and capabilities often remain underrecognized. Second, even when women are encouraged to take on broader responsibilities, the overarching development models may not align with their needs or perspectives and may even appear counterproductive. Under such conditions, it is unrealistic to expect women to engage as enthusiastic and creative participants.

Hope from the Amazon: Land rights, indigenous voices, and the winds of change in Latin America

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* After several days of travel and digital silence, I returned from a rare and deeply moving journey into the Amazon region of Colombia. It was not just another field trip, but an opportunity to witness the pulse of Latin America’s land rights movement, firsthand.

Lepa Radić: A symbol of defiance and resistance, of fight against oppression

By Harsh Thakor* December 29th marks the centenary of the birth of Lepa Radić, a Yugoslav Partisan whose courage during World War II continues to resonate through history. Born on December 19, 1925, in the village of Gašnica in what is now Bosnia-Herzegovina, Lepa Radić was only 15 when the Axis powers invaded Yugoslavia in April 1941. In response to the occupation, she joined the Partisan resistance, eventually becoming one of its most revered figures. At the age of 17, she was executed by the Nazis for her involvement, refusing until her death to betray her comrades.

Search This Blog