India’s labour laws do not make any provision against discriminating on the grounds of marital status. While the Narendra Modi government has proposed new labour codes which make hiring and firing easier, and prevent gender discrimination in workplaces, they also do not have specific provisions on the issue of not hiring workers based on their marital status.
Even against the backdrop of strong economic growth, the labour force participation of women in India is abysmal. According to official data, the female workforce participation was 37 per cent in 2022-2023, compared with nearly 80 per cent for men.
Modi has rightly put women at the centre of the government’s initiatives to boost economic growth and income levels. However, there is still a lot to be done, and instances like the one at Foxconn undermine his stance, and that of a progressive state like Tamil Nadu.
India cannot maximise its growth opportunities unless more women join the workforce, and their marital status should not impede it. The Supreme Court in the 1960s observed that there is no proof that married women are more likely to be absent than unmarried women.