MediaNama’s Take: Karnataka has taken a major step by introducing a dedicated law for gig workers. The state has recognised the need to regulate platform-based labour and created legal protections that move beyond insurance schemes or informal welfare programs.
Although the Gig Workers bill requires algorithmic transparency, it does not specify who will verify platform disclosures or what happens if companies fail to comply. Workers still have no clear way to contest unfair deactivations or opaque payment decisions. The law improves visibility but does not ensure accountability.
Earlier, unions like IFAT have called for stronger safeguards, including protection of performance data, fair task allocation, and systems that preserve a worker’s track record across platforms. Legal experts have warned that sudden algorithmic decisions can erase a worker’s past performance and income potential without warning.
The law does not classify gig workers as employees. By excluding them from the Industrial Disputes Act and the Minimum Wages Act, it denies them protections like job security and wage floors. The bill also mandates safe working conditions and infrastructure, but it does not explain how the state will monitor compliance or apply penalties. Without enforcement, even detailed provisions lose impact.
Lawmakers flagged another concern. The bill covers only platform-based workers, leaving out over 3.8 lakh outsourced workers in Karnataka. A broader, more inclusive framework is still needed.
Furthermore, practical gaps also persist. The bill does not talk about the method of welfare fee collection, whether platforms can shift the cost to workers, or the treatment of driver-first models like Namma Yatri.
The legal structure now exists, but the challenge lies in making it work; by enforcing platform compliance, protecting workers’ rights, and preventing this law from becoming another well-intentioned formality.
What’s the News
The Karnataka Assembly on Tuesday passed the Platform-Based Gig Workers’ Social Security and Welfare Bill, which mandates social security, welfare, and occupational health protections for gig workers. It creates a Gig Workers’ Welfare Board, a welfare fund, and a dispute resolution mechanism. Platforms will have to register with the board and pay a welfare fee of 1-5% to finance the scheme.
Confirming the passage of the bill, Labour Minister Santosh Lad posted on X:
“The Karnataka Assembly has approved the Platform-Based Gig Workers’ Social Security and Welfare Bill. A bill that could serve as a model for the entire country will take legal form in just a few days after completing the remaining processes. The credit for designing and implementing such a unique initiative belongs to our Labour Department and the State Government. Thanks to everyone who has openly supported and appreciated this bill.”
While tabling the bill in the Assembly, Lad said, “The Karnataka…
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