Labour rights beyond the shadow of BWSSB

The article discusses a Supreme Court reference concerning the definition of "industry" under the repealed Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, specifically the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) judgment. Despite the Act's repeal by the Industrial Relations Code, 2020, a nine-judge bench proceeded to hear the matter, with some judges deeming the exercise academic. The article highlights the anxiety surrounding BWSSB's "worker-oriented approach" and emphasizes the constitutional mandate of social justice and labour protection (Articles 23, 42, Basic Structure doctrine), arguing against narrowing the scope of labour rights in new codes.