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Business Standard
2 hours ago
- Business
- Business Standard
One Act and 3 Bills on, gig workers say there is progress, but not enough
With the publication of Telangana Gig and Platform Workers (Registration, Social Security and Welfare) Bill, 2025, Telangana is all set to join the list of states with a legislation to ensure social security, and regulate working conditions for gig workers. The only state to currently have a gig workers Act in place is Rajasthan. The state assembly had passed the Rajasthan Platform Based Gig Workers (Registration and Welfare) Act in July 2023. In Karnataka and Jharkhand, the Cabinet has cleared the respective Bills. They are expected to be introduced in the Monsoon session of the assemblies. These developments point to increasing state-level efforts to bring India's gig workers under some form of welfare net. While they see these developments as welcome efforts, gig workers' unions say they are, at the same time, insufficient. For many worker unions, and gig workers themselves, these welfare boards and registration drives are only partial answers to deeper issues of recognition, accountability, and rights. These efforts by states are also seen as a follow-up after the central government introduced the Code on Social Security in 2020, which, for the first time, tried to include gig workers under the legal ambit. Section 2(35) of the Code defines a 'gig worker' as someone who performs tasks or participates in work arrangements and earns from such activities outside of traditional employer-employee relationship. Sunand, president of the Rajdhani App-Based Workers' Union who goes by only his first name, says the state Bills are similar to the social security code. Neither the code nor the Bills, he says, talk about the kind of welfare schemes that will be implemented and where the money for these schemes will come from. For gig workers, fixed working hours, a guarantee of sufficient wages within that period, and ID blocking or termination from work by the platform at will are the most pressing issues. 'Platforms have undue control over workers,' says Sunand. 'These issues of algorithmic control and arbitrary deactivation directly affect workers' livelihoods, yet remain absent from the legal discourse.' Shaik Salauddin, national general secretary of the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers, and president of the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers' Union, also says there are missing links in the Telangana Bill, and the issue of wages are not addressed in it. That said, Salauddin considers the Telangana Bill to be better than others. 'Grievance redressal mechanism is better in this Bill; the time to lodge complaints is mentioned. There is a provision of penalty as well,' says Salauddin. Sunand echoes the same sentiment: 'There is greater government monitoring of platforms in the Telangana and Jharkhand Bills.' Employer-employee relationship at the core The social security code explicitly states that gig workers fall outside of traditional employer-employee relationships. At the heart of the dissatisfaction is this broader structural issue. The unions highlight that none of the Bills consider gig workers as employees of a company. All legislation focuses on welfare boards, registration, and modest benefits such as accident insurance or health schemes. They stop short of challenging the aggregator platforms' insistence that gig workers are 'partners' or 'independent contractors'. 'Gig workers should come under traditional employer-employee relationships, and platforms should work as traditional employers. This is the core problem. Unless this is resolved, other things don't matter,' says Sunand. A traditional employer-employee relationship is a structured, long-term one between the employer and employee, with the employee getting certain benefits such as gratuity and provident fund (PF). Sunand says since governments are not addressing the core problems of wages, working hours and blocking, there has been minimal resistance from the companies, except in Karnataka, where gig workers appear to have been equated with traditional employees. Industry body the National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom) issued a statement highlighting this concern around the Karnataka Bill: 'It assumes gig work to be a part of employer-employee relationship, which risks unsettling the conceptual and legal basis of gig work. This assumption is core of the Bill and basis this, it prescribes several obligations, which may be relevant only in an employer-employee relationship.' Uber, one of the largest players in India's ride-hailing and gig economy sector, said it is engaging with state-level policymakers as new laws take shape. It called for consistency, operational clarity, and inclusivity across the ecosystem in emerging frameworks. 'We look forward to ongoing dialogue with governments at all levels and remain committed to constructive engagement on matters concerning the platform economy,' a spokesperson of the company said. States and gig workers Feature Telangana (draft Bill) Karnataka (draft Bill) Jharkhand (draft Bill) Rajasthan (Act) Definition of gig worker Work arrangement falling outside the traditional employer-employee relationship Work through an online platform, with pay determined by terms and conditions Work falls outside the traditional employer-employee relationship, obtained through an online platform, contractual, piece-rate Work falls outside the traditional employer-employee relationship, obtained through an online platform, contractual, piece-rate Platform worker's definition Persons obtaining work through an online platform No distinction between a gig worker and platform worker No distinction between a gig worker and platform worker No distinction between a gig worker and platform worker Rights Registration, social security schemes, and grievance redressal mechanism Registration, social security schemes, and grievance redressal mechanism Registration, social security schemes, and grievance redressal mechanism Registration, social security schemes, grievance redressal mechanism, participation in board discussions Gig worker registration Self-registration as prescribed. Aggregators provide a database of workers registered with them within 60 days from commencement of the Act Workers must be registered by aggregators within 60 days from commencement of the Act Workers must be registered by aggregators within 60 days from commencement of the Act Workers must be registered by aggregators within 60 days from commencement of the Act Aggregators registration Must register within 45 days from the commencement of the Act Must register within 60 days from commencement of the Act Must register within 60 days from commencement of the Act Must register within 60 days from commencement of the Act Algorithm transparency Aggregators must inform workers about how to access information on automated systems that monitor and affect their work Aggregators must inform workers about: (i) rating systems, (ii) worker classification, (iii) use of personal data, and algorithms affecting work conditions Aggregators must inform workers about: (i) rating systems, (ii) worker classification, (iii) use of personal data, and algorithms affecting work conditions No provision for transparency in automated monitoring and decision-making systems Termination of work Reason for termination must be given in writing, with a seven-day prior notice Reasons must be included in the contract, and a 14-day prior notice Reasons must be included in the contract, and a 14-day prior notice No provision for termination of work Grievance redressal Grievances can be filed via a portal or through an officer. Order within 30 days Grievances can be filed via a portal or an officer. Appeals within 90 days Grievances can be filed via a portal or an officer. Appeals within 90 days Grievances can be filed via a portal or an officer. Appeals within 90 days Welfare fee 1 to 2% of the individual payout to the gig worker, paid by the aggregator quarterly Based on worker pay per transaction or aggregator turnover, paid quarterly Percentage of transaction value, as specified by the state government Percentage of transaction value, as specified by the state government Sources of fund Welfare fund fee, contributions by platform and workers, grants-in-aid from the Centre and state government, CSR fund, grants, gifts, or donations Welfare fee, contributions by platform-based gig workers, grants-in-aid from both central and state government, grants, bequests or transfers Welfare fee, contributions by platform-based gig workers, grants-in-aid from both central and state government, grants, bequests or transfers Welfare fee, grants-in-aid from state government, any other sources Usage of fund Not specified Prescribed by the state government Prescribed by the state government Prescribed by the state government
The Hindu
22-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Call for including minimum wage guarantee in gig workers' Bill
A gig workers' union has expressed strong opposition to the absence of minimum wage guarantee provisions in the Telangana Platform-Based Gig Workers (Registration, Social Security & Welfare) Bill, 2025. Telangana Gig and Platform Workers' Union (TGPWU) office-bearer Shaik Salauddin said minimum wage was a key demand that would ensure equitable pay for all gig workers. The lack of this very safeguard is problematic. 'What of the minimum wage guarantee? This is one aspect that will protect gig and platform workers from being exploited. When this clause in not made available in the Bill, it puts a lot of workers, who toil in unsafe conditions on bad road, battling heatwaves and rains, in a vulnerable position. Minimum wage guarantee per ride, per trip, per delivery is critical,' Mr Salauddin said. said the TGPWU demanded the inclusion of enforceable minimum wage in the final version of the Bill, and provisions to ensure daily or hourly minimum wages for all platform-based workers. 'We want to urge Chief Minister Reddy and the Labour Minister to take a serious view of the matter and commit to this safeguard. Minimum wage guarantee should be included immediatley,' said. It is estimated that there are around 3.5 lakh to 4 lakh gig and platform workers in Telangana. According to both unions and workers, they work long shifts, which on several occasions go up to 12 hours. An overwhelming majority of gig and platform workers are young men, up to the age of 35 years. In the recent past, the TGPWU had pointed out that those from the backward castes and classes constitute a significant chunk of gig and platform workers, indicating a dire need for government intervention. To further illustrate the difficult conditions in which gig workers work, the TGPWU along with Heat Watch embarked on a survey which revealed that 52% of the respondents experienced heat exhaustion.
India Today
01-07-2025
- India Today
Fact Check: Unrelated visuals VIRAL as arms seizure in UP's Malihabad
An illegal arms manufacturing racket was busted in Uttar Pradesh's Malihabad during a late-night raid on June 26. The accused in the case, Hakeem Salauddin, reportedly manufactured and sold illegal firearms from his home while posing as a traditional healer. Six pistols, seven airguns, one rifle, 18 live cartridges, and the skin of a prohibited deer species were seized from the house of Salauddin, who is suspected to have ties to Pakistan and visuals allegedly from the raid have begun making the rounds on social media. However, a video and a photo — both featuring giant caches of arms and ammunition — going viral are old and unrelated to the case. Let's have a look at both.A peek into Salauddin's house?The video shows bundles of cash along with arms and ammunition being recovered from a building. Sharing it, one person wrote, '3,000 guns and 20 sacks containing 50,000 cartridges along with $ recovered from Hakim Salauddin.' Reverse-searching keyframes from the viral video led us to social media posts from August 202, featuring a longer version of the video. The caption of one such post stated that weapons belonging to the United States were seized by the Taliban. This video therefore predates the Malihabad raid by around four of #US weapons seized by #Taliban C4H10FO2P (@markito0171) August 16, 2021advertisementWe then found a New York Times report about the viral video, dated August 16, 2021. After the fall of Afghanistan's government on August 15, 2021, Taliban insurgents seized power and subsequently showed off newly acquired weapons and video in question, along with some other footage, showed weapons and armoured vehicles — most of which were supplied by Washington — in the hands of Taliban not UPThe photo going viral shows a huge number of guns and rifles arranged on the ground inside a room. The text inside the picture read: '3,000 guns and 20 sacks containing 50,000 cartridges recovered from Hakim Salauddin house in Lucknow.'Using reverse search, we found the same photo in an X post from 2017, ruling out the possibility of it being linked to the recent raid in bir Cuma namaz. (@brhnalioglu) May 5, 2017We then found a similar photo in an article from May 2013. According to it, police departments in Iowa held a 'gun take back' event where people could voluntarily surrender weapons and ammunition they no longer required, to the Division of Criminal Investigation Crime Criminalistics Laboratory is located in Ankeny, Iowa, and provides forensic services for all criminal justice partners in the US found a video of the firearms section of the crime lab, uploaded by the Iowa Department of Public Safety's YouTube channel. In it, the guns arranged in the same order as seen in the viral photo can be seen at around the 4.11-mark. Thus, it is clear that unrelated, old visuals from Afghanistan and the US were falsely shared as visuals from a Malihabad raid.- EndsTrending Reel Want to send us something for verification? Please share it on our at 73 7000 7000 You can also send us an email at factcheck@
Hindustan Times
29-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
Malihabad arms seizure case: Suspected Dubai link surfaces, Pak connection under scanner
In a fresh development in the Malihabad arms seizure case, police sources have confirmed the recovery of a laptop containing contact records with a Dubai-based number suspected to be linked to the illegal weapons supply chain. Illegal arms seized from a house in Malihabad. (Sourced) According to investigators, Hakeem Salauddin, who was arrested on Friday from Lucknow's Malihabad area in connection with alleged involvement in the case, was in regular contact with the Dubai number, sometimes calling once or twice a day. Investigators have also taken Salauddin's nephew, Gaush Khan, into custody for questioning. He is suspected to have critical information about Salauddin's contacts in Pakistan and other countries. According to police sources, over a dozen of Salauddin's relatives have been living in Pakistan since the 1950s, and he allegedly remained in touch with them. Neighbours have told police that Salauddin and his family travelled to Pakistan two to three times a year. Police are now probing whether this Dubai connection is part of a larger cross-border network or a tactic by Salauddin to mislead authorities. A senior officer said, 'We are mapping the full extent of the network. The Dubai connection is a key lead, and action will be taken against all those involved.' The laptop is currently being analysed by the cyber cell, which is retrieving emails, messages, and social media interactions that may uncover the identities of potential co-conspirators. Surveillance teams are going through Salauddin's call detail records (CDRs) and bank transactions to identify the flow of funds and the origin of payments linked to arms dealings. Preliminary interrogation suggested that while small orders were managed locally, larger consignments were coordinated via this international number. The Lucknow police had busted an illegal arms manufacturing unit in a late-night raid following a tip-off in Malihabad area on Thursday, and arrested Salauddin,68, on Friday. DCP North, Gopal Krishna Choudhary said, 'The accused was running an illegal arms manufacturing unit from a residential locality. He was also found in possession of prohibited wildlife material.' Salahuddin confessed to manufacturing and selling illegal firearms from his home, police said, adding three pistols (.32 bore), one country-made pistol (.315 bore), two country-made pistols (.22 bore), one rifle (.22 bore), and seven airguns were later recovered from his house. The police also recovered 18 live cartridges of .315 bore, 68 of .22 bore, and 30 of 12 bore. Besides, 40 empty cartridges (.22 bore), two live cartridges and one empty cartridge of .32 bore, various tools, saws, knives, semi-manufactured weapons, ₹ 2,000 cash, and the skin of a prohibited deer species were also recovered. Further, the probe has confirmed that illegal arms were being manufactured inside Salauddin's residence. Skilled workers from Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, disguised as tenants, were employed for the job, according to the police. Salauddin posed as a traditional medicine practitioner and honey seller. Police officials said they are now preparing to seek Salauddin's custody remand to explore his possible connections with elements in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and with transnational networks.
Time of India
29-06-2025
- Time of India
Dubai, Pak links into illegal arms mfg racket suspected
Lucknow: The ongoing investigation into the illegal arms manufacturing racket busted in Malihabad has taken a turn, with Lucknow Police uncovering a possible Dubai connection and probing suspected ties to Pakistan. Hakeem Salauddin, 68, who was arrested earlier this week after a late-night raid led police to an illegal arms unit operating out of a residential area in Malihabad. During the raid, police recovered a cache of illicit firearms, live ammunition, and even prohibited wildlife material from Salauddin's home. The investigators also recovered a laptop containing records of frequent communication with a Dubai-based phone number. According to police sources, Salauddin was in almost daily contact with this number—often calling once or twice a day. While local-level arms transactions were handled domestically, police suspect that larger consignments were coordinated through this international channel. DCP North Gopal Krishna Choudhary confirmed the seizure of a significant cache from Salauddin's residence, including three .32 bore pistols, a .315 bore country-made pistol, two .22 bore country-made pistols, one .22 bore rifle, and seven airguns. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like local network access control Esseps Learn More Undo Also recovered were 18 live cartridges of .315 bore, 68 of .22 bore, and 30 of 12 bore, along with 40 empty cartridges (.22 bore), tools, semi-manufactured weapons, Rs 2,000 in cash, and the skin of a protected deer species. The cyber cell is currently examining Salauddin's laptop to retrieve emails, chat records, and social media activity that may reveal the identities of possible associates or foreign handlers. Surveillance teams are also analysing his call detail records (CDRs) and bank transactions to trace the financial trail behind the illegal arms trade. Salauddin's nephew, Gaush Khan, has been detained for interrogation. He is believed to possess critical information about Salauddin's contacts in Pakistan and other countries. Investigators say over a dozen of Salauddin's relatives have lived in Pakistan since the 1950s, and the family made frequent trips across the border, reportedly two to three times a year. The probe has further revealed that Salauddin was employing skilled gunsmiths from Madhya Pradesh and Bihar under the guise of tenants. While he posed publicly as a traditional healer and honey seller, his house served as a covert manufacturing hub for illegal arms. Police are now preparing to seek Salauddin's custody remand for further probe, particularly into his suspected links with networks operating out of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
