Industrial Relation (Arunachal Pradesh) Rules, 2021: the notification, the Works Committee and Grievance Redressal Committee, registration of trade unions and standing orders

Industrial Relation Arunachal Pradesh explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.

The Industrial Relation (Arunachal Pradesh) Rules, 2021 are the State's rules under section 99 of the Industrial Relations Code, 2020. For an employer in the State they say how to form a Works Committee and a Grievance Redressal Committee, how a trade union is registered and recognised for negotiation, and how standing orders are adopted, certified and modified. This article covers the first four chapters, with the figures and periods as printed.

The rules extend to establishments and matters for which the Arunachal Pradesh Government is the appropriate Government and come into force on the date of effect of the Industrial Relations Code, 2020. A Works Committee has not more than twenty members and worker representatives must be at least as many as the employer's (rule 4). A Grievance Redressal Committee in an establishment with twenty or more workers has not more than ten members, half from each side (rule 5). A sole registered trade union is recognised as the negotiating union only if more than 25% of the total workers are its members (rule 16).

Which rule set this is

The rules are the Industrial Relation (Arunachal Pradesh) Rules, 2021, as notified on 17 December 2021 in the Arunachal Pradesh Gazette Extraordinary No. 286 of 23 December 2021 (notification No. LAB (W) 11/2021). Later amendments and State notifications under these rules should be checked in the State Gazette.

The notification records that draft rules were published for thirty days and that no objections or suggestions were received. It supersedes four earlier instruments, "except as respects things done or omitted to be done before such supersession":

• the Assam Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Rules, 1947, as adopted by Arunachal Pradesh;
• the Arunachal Pradesh Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Amendment Rules, 2020;
• the Arunachal Pradesh Trade Union Regulations, 1982; and
• the Arunachal Pradesh Trade Union (Amendment) Regulations, 2005.

Rule 1 says the rules extend to the whole of Arunachal Pradesh "in respect to the industrial establishments and matters for which the Arunachal Pradesh Government is the appropriate Government", and clause (b) reads: "These rules shall come into force on the date of effect of the Industrial Relations Code, 2020." The four Labour Codes were brought into force from 21 November 2025. Who the appropriate Government is under the Code is explained in our post on section 99 of the Code, the power to make rules.

If your establishment is moving to a new standing orders or committee structure, our employment and labour law advisory service can help you apply the State text.

Two definitions in rule 2 matter in practice. "Electronically" means information submitted "by email or uploading on the designated portal or digital payment in any mode", and "Tribunal" means the Industrial Tribunal established by the Government of Arunachal Pradesh. Rule 2(3) adds that for collection of labour statistics the appropriate Government means the Director General, Labour Bureau.

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Settlements (rule 3)

A settlement, whether reached in conciliation or otherwise, is in Form I (rule 3(1)), though the second proviso allows a settlement on mutually agreed terms to be in another form. For the workers, the signatories may be the President, Vice-President, Secretary (including General Secretary), a Joint Secretary, another officer authorised by the President and Secretary, or five representatives authorised at a workers' meeting. Where there was no conciliation, the parties jointly send a copy, electronically or by speed post or registered post, to the Labour Commissioner (rule 3(4)).

The Works Committee (rule 4)

The Central position is explained in our post on the Works Committee constitution and representatives. The State text prints the following.

The Chairman is nominated by the employer from its representatives and is, as far as possible, the head of the establishment. The Vice-Chairman is elected by the workers' representatives, with a draw of lot on a tie. The committee may co-opt, without vote, employees with special knowledge of a matter (rule 4(9)).

The Grievance Redressal Committee (rules 5 to 7)

Rule 5(1): in an establishment employing twenty or more workers, the committee has equal numbers from the employer and the workers, and not more than ten in total. Employer members are nominated, preferably heads of major departments. Worker members are nominated by the negotiating union or council where there is one, with each registered union in a council represented in proportion to its members among the workers. Where there is none, the workers choose from among themselves, and the employer may use an electronic process for the choice.

Women workers must have adequate representation, "not less than the proportion of women workers to the total workers employed". Where there is no registered trade union, the tenure of members is three years. A dispute about choosing worker members goes to the Labour Commissioner, whose decision is final. See also our post on the Central rules on the Grievance Redressal Committee.

An aggrieved worker applies to the committee with name, designation, worker code or token number, department, length of service, category, address, contact number, details of the grievance and relief sought, electronically or otherwise, within one year from the date the cause of action arose (rule 6). If the committee does not resolve the grievance within thirty days of receiving the application, or the worker is aggrieved by its decision, the worker may apply to the conciliation officer, through the trade union of which he or she is a member, within sixty days (rule 7).

Trade unions (Chapter III, rules 8 to 23)

• Subscription (rule 8). The minimum subscription by a member is "Rs 100 (one hundred) only per person" and the monthly subscription is "Rs 20 (twenty) only".
• Audit (rule 9). The annual audit of a registered union or federation is by an auditor authorised to audit company accounts under section 139 of the Companies Act, 2013; where membership did not at any time in the financial year exceed 250, any two members of the union may audit.
• Registration (rules 10 to 13). The application goes to the Registrar electronically, with an affidavit in Form III (rule 10). The application is in Form V and the certificate in Form VI (rule 12). The statement of assets and liabilities is submitted in Form IV with a copy of the audit report (rule 11). The Registrar maintains a register in Form VII electronically and may use Aadhaar identification for verification (rule 13).
• Appeal (rule 14). A person aggrieved by refusal of registration or cancellation may appeal to the Tribunal within 30 days from the date of refusal or cancellation.
• Communications (rule 15). The Registrar writes to the head office address by registered post and electronically; the union writes to the Registrar only electronically.
• Annual return (rule 22). Submitted electronically by the 31st day of July each year, in Form IX.
• Adjudication application (rule 19) to the Tribunal is in Form VIII; amalgamation is dealt with in rule 20 (new certificate in Form VI and entry in Form VII) and distribution on dissolution in rule 21.
• State Trade Union (rule 23). The State Government may recognise a union or federation as a State Trade Union if it has "at least a combined verified membership of one lakh or more" and presence "in at least four types of industries in the State". Disputes go finally to the Tribunal at the State capital.

General funds may be spent only on the objects listed in rule 18, which include office-bearers' salaries, administration and audit, legal proceedings, conduct of industrial disputes, benefits to members and, within a one-fourth limit of the year's income and opening balance, contributions to causes benefiting workmen in general.

Negotiating union (rules 16 and 17)

The union or council may negotiate on "terms of employment or condition of workers". If there is only one registered union, the employer recognises it as the sole negotiating union only if, when negotiation starts, "more than 25% of the total workers" are its members. Verification of workers on the muster roll is in the presence of an authority notified by the State Government, and the employer provides reasonable space for negotiation. The Central comparison is in our post on recognition of the negotiating union or council.

Standing orders (Chapter IV, rules 24 to 32)

Our post on model standing orders and forwarding of information explains the Central rule. In Arunachal Pradesh:

1. Adopting the model. An employer who adopts the Central model standing orders tells the certifying officer, electronically or otherwise, the date from which the relevant provisions apply (rule 24(1)). Within thirty days the certifying officer may point to missing provisions and direct amendment within thirty days of the direction. If no observation is made within thirty days, the standing order is deemed adopted (rule 24(3)).
2. No union. The certifying officer calls a meeting of workers to choose three representatives, who get a copy of the draft and may object within fifteen days (rule 25).
3. Draft statement (rule 27). The draft carries the establishment's name, address, email, contact number, strength and details of workers including their unions; a modification draft carries a tabular statement of the existing provision, the change and the reasons, signed by an authorised person.
4. Similar establishments (rule 28). A group of employers in similar establishments may submit a joint draft, to the Labour Commissioner, who certifies or refuses after recording reasons.
5. Appeal (rule 29). By the employer or a union within sixty days of receiving the certifying officer's order, by a memorandum in tabular form filed to the appellate authority.
6. Authentication and language (rules 26 and 30). Certified orders are authenticated and sent to all concerned within a week, with no certification needed in deemed cases. The employer maintains the text in Hindi or English and in the official language of the State.
7. Register and copies (rule 31). The certifying officer keeps a register with a unique number for each standing order and furnishes copies on payment of "ten rupees per page".
8. Modification (rule 32). An application under section 35(2) carries a tabular statement and details of registered unions, signed by an authorised person.

A worked example

Seppa Agro Mills, an invented employer with 40 workers, has one registered union with 12 members, which is 30 per cent of the workforce. Under rule 16(2) the union is recognised as the sole negotiating union because it has more than 25 per cent of the workers. The mill must also form a Grievance Redressal Committee of equal numbers, not more than ten, and it must ensure women are represented in proportion to their share of the workforce.

Common lapses

• Constituting a Works Committee with more employer than worker members.
• Skipping the written request to unions for membership figures before choosing worker representatives.
• Not telling the certifying officer the date of adoption of the model standing orders.
• Keeping standing orders in one language only.

Need help with committees and standing orders?

Setting up the committees, preparing the draft standing orders statement and handling a union's recognition claim need careful reading of the State text. Our employment and labour law advisory team can work through them with you.

Key takeaways

• The rules come into force on the date of effect of the Industrial Relations Code, 2020, and supersede four earlier standing orders and trade union instruments.
• The Works Committee is capped at twenty members, with worker representatives not fewer than employer representatives.
• A Grievance Redressal Committee is required where twenty or more workers are employed; it has at most ten members.
• A single union is recognised for negotiation only above 25% of the workers.
• Standing orders are deemed adopted if the certifying officer makes no observation within thirty days.

Read next

• Industrial Relation (Arunachal Pradesh) Rules, 2021: disputes, strike, lay-off, retrenchment, closure and compounding
• Code on Wages (Arunachal Pradesh) Rules, 2022: minimum wages, working hours and weekly rest
• Works Committee under the Central Industrial Relations Rules, 2026
• Model standing orders under the Central Industrial Relations Rules, 2026

Disclaimer: Based on the State or Union territory rules named above, as notified under the Labour Codes and consulted on 4 October 2026. Later amendments, State notifications, fees and forms should be checked in the State Gazette and on the State labour department website. This article is general information, not legal advice; check the official text before acting.