In a significant move for India's vast platform-based workforce, four states have enacted landmark legislation aimed at securing social security and rights for gig workers. However, the journey from law books to real-world impact remains fraught with delays, as none of these pioneering acts have been fully implemented, leaving lakhs of delivery partners, cab drivers, and other platform workers in a state of anticipation.
The State of Play: Laws Enacted But Not Enforced
The push for legal recognition and protection for gig workers gained national attention during the Christmas and New Year's Eve period, when thousands across India logged off apps in protest. Their demands were clear: social security benefits, better wages, and robust legislation. While the central framework is still evolving, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Bihar, and Jharkhand have taken the lead with state-specific laws. Telangana is also reportedly working on similar legislation.
Trade unions have hailed these laws as a crucial step forward but universally caution that their true value will be determined solely by their rollout and enforcement. The current scenario reveals a gap between political announcement and administrative action.
Rajasthan: The Pioneer Stuck in Cold Storage
Rajasthan made history on July 24, 2023, by passing the Platform Based Gig Workers (Registration and Welfare) Act. It was the first dedicated state law of its kind, passed months before the state's Assembly polls by the then Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government.
The Act mandates the registration of all gig workers and the creation of a welfare board, with a provision that one-third of its members must be women. It imposes a welfare fee on aggregators to fund health insurance, accident coverage, and other benefits. Penalties for violations are steep: up to Rs 5 lakh for a first offence and up to Rs 50 lakh for subsequent ones.
Despite its progressive nature, the law has been in cold storage since its passage. The Congress government was voted out in November 2023, and the current BJP administration under Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma has been accused of stalling. Former CM Gehlot has publicly urged the government to implement the law, while gig worker unions continue to protest.
Sanjay Gaba, president of the All India Gig and Platform Workers, expressed disappointment, stating workers initially welcomed the law as a "good solution." When contacted, Rajasthan's Law Minister Jogaram Patel only said implementation would "happen soon," without providing details.
Bihar: A Law Born from Protest
Bihar joined the list with the Bihar Platform Based Gig Workers (Registration, Social Security and Welfare) Bill, 2025, passed on July 23, 2025. This followed over a year of mobilization and strikes led by unions affiliated with Union Network International.
The law is comprehensive, providing for:
- Mandatory registration of workers above 16 using Aadhaar.
- Social security benefits like provident fund, insurance, and maternity benefits.
- A minimum wage guarantee and a grievance redressal committee.
- Strong data protection provisions.
The agitation included statewide strikes in January 2024 and January 2025, which significantly disrupted services of major platforms like Swiggy, Zomato, and Amazon in Patna.
Karnataka: Awaiting the Welfare Board Notification
The Karnataka Platform-Based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Act, 2025, came into effect in May 2025. It establishes a legal framework for a welfare board and a dedicated welfare fund. However, the crucial step of notifying the Karnataka Gig Workers’ Welfare Board was still pending as of this report, though it was expected within a week.
Once notified, the board will begin registering workers. The Act proposes a welfare fee on each transaction, which aggregators must pay quarterly. While discussions suggested a fee of 1% to 5%, government sources indicate it will likely be fixed at 1–1.5%. This fund will be monitored by a proposed Payment and Welfare Fee Verification System.
Jharkhand: One of the Stronger Laws on Paper
Jharkhand passed its Platform-Based Gig Workers (Registration and Welfare) Act in August last year, receiving the Governor's assent on December 19. It is considered one of the more robust laws, providing for mandatory registration, minimum wages, and social security.
Notably, it integrates gig workers into the state's existing Shramadhan portal, giving them access to accident compensation, insurance, pensions, and other schemes meant for unorganised workers. It also prescribes penalties of up to Rs 10 lakh on aggregators for violations.
The Road Ahead: Implementation is Key
The consensus among unions and experts is clear: the law is only the first step. Vishwajeet Deb, a CITU leader organising gig workers in Jharkhand, emphasized that government-led outreach is critical. "The law cannot be implemented only through unions. The state government has to take responsibility for registering workers and ensuring they know their rights," he said, highlighting that most gig workers remain outside any formal database.
The story of India's gig worker laws is currently a tale of promising legislation caught in the limbo of implementation. For the lakhs of workers whose livelihoods depend on the gig economy, the wait for tangible benefits and protections continues. The effectiveness of these landmark acts will ultimately be judged not by their passage, but by their execution on the ground.
