Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 · Chapter V: Strikes and Lock-Outs
Section 24: Illegal strikes and lock-outs
The Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 was repealed and replaced by the Industrial Relations Code, 2020 from 21 November 2025. It still applies to matters and proceedings from before that date, as the repealing law provides.
In plain words
A strike or lock-out is illegal if it starts in breach of section 22 or section 23, or continues after the government prohibits it.
- A strike or lock-out already lawfully in progress when the dispute is referred does not become illegal just because of the reference, unless the government prohibits it.
- A lock-out declared because of an illegal strike, or a strike because of an illegal lock-out, is not illegal.
A simplified explanation, prepared with AI assistance from the official text below and checked automatically against it for numbers and cross-references. The official text is the law and prevails over this summary. Not legal advice.
Official text
(1) A strike or a lock-out shall be illegal if—
(i) it is commenced or declared in contravention of section 22 or section 23; or
(ii) it is continued in contravention of an order made under sub-section (3) of section 10 [or sub-section (4A) of section 10A].
(2) Where a strike or lock-out in pursuance of an industrial dispute has already commenced and is in existence at the time of the reference of the dispute to a Board, [an arbitrator, a] [Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal], the continuance of such strike or lock-out shall not be deemed to be illegal, provided that such strike or lock-out was not at its commencement in contravention of the provisions of this Act or the continuance thereof was not prohibited under sub-section (3) of section 10 [or sub-section
(4A) of section 10A].
(3) A lock-out declared in consequence of an illegal strike or a strike declared in consequence of an illegal lock-out shall not be deemed to be illegal.
Source: India Code (Legislative Department), the text of the Act as it stood before its repeal. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here. Official text on India Code.