Govt. Appoints Registering Officers Under OSHWC Code 2020

The Ministry of Labour and Employment has issued a notification appointing Regional Labour Commissioners (Central) and Assistant Labour Commissioners (Central) as Registering Officers under Section 3(1)(b) of the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020.

The appointments relate to establishments where the Central Government is the appropriate Government under the Code.

1. Appointment of Registering Officers

The notified Regional Labour Commissioners (Central) and Assistant Labour Commissioners (Central) have been authorised to function as Registering Officers for purposes of registration and related administrative functions under the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020.

These authorities will exercise powers within their specified territorial jurisdictions as notified by the Ministry.

2. Jurisdiction-Wise Allocation of Authorities

The notification provides jurisdiction-wise allocation of Registering Officers across different regions, States and Union Territories.

The appointed authorities will be responsible for handling matters relating to establishments falling under the Central Government’s jurisdiction, including sectors and entities covered under the labour code framework.

3. Functions of Registering Officers

As Registering Officers under the Code, the designated authorities will perform functions relating to:

• Registration of establishments
• Verification and processing of applications
• Maintenance of records and compliance data
• Administration of registration-related provisions under the Code
• Enforcement and regulatory coordination where required

The appointments are intended to operationalise the registration framework under the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020.

4. Supersession of Earlier Notifications

The Ministry has clarified that the present notification supersedes earlier notifications issued in 2016 and 2019 relating to appointment of registering authorities under the earlier labour law framework.

Accordingly, the new notification will govern appointment and jurisdiction of Registering Officers under the Code.

5. Objective of the Notification

The notification aims to strengthen implementation and administrative oversight under the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 by formally designating jurisdiction-specific registering authorities.

The move is intended to facilitate streamlined registration processes, improve compliance administration and support effective enforcement of occupational safety and working condition standards in establishments governed by the Central Government.