Fixation of minimum wages
Section 6 of the Code on Wages, 2019 deals with fixation of minimum wages. Subject to the provisions of section 9, the appropriate Government shall fix the minimum rate of wages payable to employees in accordance with the provisions of section 8. The Act was enacted on 08 Aug 2019.
(1) Subject to the provisions of section 9, the appropriate Government shall fix the minimum rate of wages payable to employees in accordance with the provisions of section 8.
(2) For the purposes of sub-section (1), the appropriate Government shall fix a minimum rate of wages--
(a) for time work; or
(b) for piece work.
(3) Where employees are employed on piece work, for the purpose of sub-section (1), the appropriate Government shall fix a minimum rate of wages for securing such employees a minimum rate of wages on a time work basis.
(4) The minimum rate of wages on time work basis may be fixed in accordance with any one or more of the following wage periods, namely:--
(i) by the hour; or
(ii) by the day; or
(iii) by the month.
(5) Where the rates of wages are fixed by the hour or by the day or by the month, the manner of calculating the wages shall be such, as may be prescribed.
(6) For the purpose of fixation of minimum rate of wages under this section, the appropriate Government,--
(a) shall primarily take into account the skill of workers required for working under the categories of unskilled, skilled, semi-skilled and highly-skilled or geographical area or both; and
(b) may, in addition to such minimum rate of wages for certain category of workers, take into account their arduousness of work like temperature or humidity normally difficult to bear, hazardous occupations or processes or underground work as may be prescribed by that Government; and
(c) the norms of such fixation of minimum rate of wages shall be such as may be prescribed.
(7) The number of minimum rates of wages referred to in sub-section (6) may, as far as possible, be kept at minimum by the appropriate Government.
Section 6, The Code on Wages, 2019 (Act 29 of 2019).
Cross-references
Extracted from the operative text of the enactments themselves. Every destination below exists in our corpus.
Related judgements & precedents
These are some judgments that construed this section, and hold precedence value. They hold authority on how to read, interpret and use this section.
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Faridabad Industries Association through Its Authorised Signatory Col S. Kapoor Executive Secretary vs The State of Haryana through Its Principal Secretary Labour Department, Additional Chief Secretary Government of Haryana, Labor Department
Decided under minimum-wages-act-1948 3, which this section replaces. The court did not have this Act before it.
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
The appropriate Government's power to fix minimum wages is confined to prescribing a minimum rate for the categories of work in the employment; it does not extend to sub-classifying workers by length of experience or period of training, nor to directing how the wage is to be segregated into components, and notification clauses doing so were held ultra vires. Trainees and workers engaged through contractors remain within the protection of the fixation.
On this section: Marks the outer limit of the fixation power now in section 6: the Government may fix the rate for time work, piece work and the several classes of work, but may not use the notification to rewrite the terms of employment or to split the fixed wage.
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Cyfuture India PVT LTD vs Mirza Nafees, ORS
Decided under minimum-wages-act-1948 3, which this section replaces. The court did not have this Act before it.
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
Scheduled employment is to be read widely so as to take in any process or branch of work incidental to the notified employment, and call-centre and helpline work done for a telecommunications undertaking falls within it; where the Central Government's notification fixes the higher rate for workers of a central undertaking, the contractor must pay that rate notwithstanding the lower State rate stipulated in its tender.
On this section: Applies the fixation of minimum rates to contract workers whose work is only incidental to the notified employment and settles which Government's fixed rate governs when both have fixed one.
The holding above is the ratio decidendi as extracted from the judgment by eCourts India, reproduced unaltered — it is a rendering of the court's reasoning, not a substitute for its words. Read the order itself before relying on it.
Questions about Section 6
What have the courts held on Section 6 of the Code on Wages?
Faridabad Industries Association through Its Authorised Signatory Col S. Kapoor Executive Secretary vs The State of Haryana through Its Principal Secretary Labour Department, Additional Chief Secretary Government of Haryana, Labor Department is the leading judgment on this section among those set out below, though it was decided under MINIMUM-WAGES-ACT-1948 3, which this section replaced -- the court never mentioned this Act: Marks the outer limit of the fixation power now in section 6: the Government may fix the rate for time work, piece work and the several classes of work, but may not use the notification to rewrite the terms of employment or to split the fixed wage. Another 1 judgment on this section is set out below, 1 of them from the Supreme Court.
How do I find court cases under Section 6 of the Code on Wages?
In judgments and charge sheets this section is written several ways, and each form finds a different set of orders. These search the full text of every order eCourtsIndia holds, best matches first: Code on Wages 2019 6, section 6 Code on Wages 2019, section 6 of the Code on Wages. People searching for it also type section 6 code on wages. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome. 2 reported judgments on this section are set out on this page, beginning with Faridabad Industries Association through Its Authorised Signatory Col S. Kapoor Executive Secretary vs The State of Haryana through Its Principal Secretary Labour Department, Additional Chief Secretary Government of Haryana, Labor Department.
What should I read with Section 6 of the Code on Wages, and has it changed?
Its own text turns on section 8 (Procedure for fixing and revising minimum wages), section 9 (Power of Central Government to fix floor wage), so none of them can safely be read on its own. 3 other provisions in this corpus refer back to it.
When was Section 6 of the Code on Wages enacted?
Section 6 of the Code on Wages, cited as Code on Wages 2019 6, was enacted on 08 Aug 2019 as Act 29 of 2019. It is in force as at the date shown on this page.
Other sections of this Act
- 2. Definitions1802 words
- 67. Power of appropriate Government to make rules1008 words
- 18. Deductions which may be made from wages883 words
- 26. Eligibility for bonus, etc843 words
- 42. Central Advisory Board and State Advisory Boards663 words
- 51. Appointment of Inspector-cum-Facilitators and their powers456 words
Source and method. Compiled from the enactments of Parliament and of the State legislatures as published on India Code, and republished together with commentary and other original matter under section 52(1)(q)(ii) of the Copyright Act, 1957. Structured, cross-referenced and maintained by eCourtsIndia. Text as in force on 15 Oct 2026. This page is not a substitute for legal advice.