Shillong, Feb 12: The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Muster Roll Labour Union has expressed concern over the delay in implementation of the new Labour Codes in Meghalaya.
Addressing reporters on Wednesday, JAC chairman Khroo Lamsalanki Pariat said the union was “shocked” that the state government has not issued a notification to enforce the Codes despite them being in force since November.
“We are surprised that since November 2025, the Meghalaya government has made no announcement regarding the implementation of the Labour Code in the state,” Pariat said.
He added that the Labour Department previously claimed the process of framing rules was underway but there has been no progress in six months. The Codes have already been implemented in other states but not Meghalaya.
The new labour codes consolidate 29 outdated central labour laws into four comprehensive codes, passed by Parliament between 2019 and 2020 and notified for implementation starting November 21, 2025.
Pariat said that the non-implementation of the Labour Codes in the state has affected the muster roll workers under various state government departments, who are made to retire at the age of 58, while the new rules put the retirement age at 60. Pariat stated that there has been no clear cut announcement from the state at what age the muster roll workers are to retire, as in 2009 the state government notified that they should not work beyond 65, though this was denotified in 2025.
The Labour Codes 2025 includes provisions for pension benefits, Employee Provident Fund (EPF) and other social security measures and the non-implementation of the Codes has severely impacted workers struggling with the rising costs of essential commodities, Pariat added.
He said that the state has not notified new wage rates and is still continuing with the old rates of April 2025. The JAC chairman also expressed surprise that no legislators in the state are interested in taking up the issue of price rise.
He said that if the MLAs do not take up this issue then the daily wagers will have no option but to come out on the streets.
