Legal Protection of Gig Economy Workers in India: A Critical Study

This study utilises a sociological perspective to analyse India's gig economy, emphasising how social inequalities and workers' rights interact. The gig economy brings several issues, especially with respect to labour regulations, but it also provides flexible job options. This study intends to thoroughly examine the current state of gig workers in India with respect to precarious conditions at work, a lack of social security, quality of life, and a lack of legal protections in order to identify the major challenges that underlie it. It finds that ambiguity in employment status is the primary cause of issues like limited access to basic benefits like health insurance, incentives, pension plans, minimum wages, and many more the impact of the gig economy on contract work rules is examined in this research. The research focusses on legal sources, policy papers, and court decisions rather than gathering actual data in the field in order to determine the normative premises behind whether platform regulation is carried effectively. This research examines at the laws that regulate gig workers in other important nations and then contrasts them with the regulations in India. After that, a critical analysis of the current legal landscape is conducted in order to find any gaps and supplement the recommendations offered to strengthen the protection of gig workers' rights. Through a comparative study of global regulatory frameworks and a detailed examination of the Indian approach, this article delves further into the issues facing the gig economy and provides suggestions for its management. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the current national and international discussion on gig economy regulation by outlining a smoother path for equitable and long-term employment in the present day.