The petition sought, among other reliefs, recognition of non-payment of minimum wages to domestic workers as a violation of fundamental rights and enforcement of minimum wage regimes across States. Senior advocate Raju Ramachandran appeared for the petitioner organisation and submitted that domestic workers, predominantly women, remain among the most vulnerable sections of the unorganised workforce, lacking effective legal protection. Notwithstanding the exploitation of workers, the CJI said these workers’ unions have created roadblocks in the country’s industrialisation and growth. Responding to the submission that collective bargaining could address these concerns, Justice Bagchi noted that domestic workers are already covered under existing welfare frameworks. Ramachandran said while some states had notified minimum wages for domestic workers, others had failed to do so, despite the nature of domestic employment remaining uniform across the country.