New Delhi, Dec. 18 -- The four new labour codes are an attempt to modernise India's labour framework while balancing ease of doing business with worker protection, Supreme Court Judge Justice Manmohan said while addressing the "Decoding the Codes" conference organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF).

Recalling his early years at the Bar, Justice Manmohan noted that labour practice was once sharply divided between lawyers representing management and those appearing for workers.

That rigid divide, he said, has faded largely because many labour laws have become outdated, with key statutes dating back to the 1920s and 1930s.

Emphasising that law cannot remain static, he observed that...