Throughout history, across cultures, children have always worked in a family structure. It is through this work that children are introduced to the society and largely acquire the social and practical skills required through life. However, there is a very thin line where the promotive aspect of working children translates into a detrimental effect on their health and development. This is where the term ‘child labour’ comes into existence. The exploitation of children for commercial and financial benefit has plagued today’s society. This has warranted the need for various labour law legislations which deal with child welfare and abolition of child labour. This research article is aimed at one of those provisions called the Child & Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986. The article aims to give a comprehensive analysis of this statue by analysing various provisions and putting them in consonance with the international perspective. The article starts off by giving a brief overview of this legislation and a historical narrative to trace the origins of the legislation. Further, the article also deals with the scope and need of the legislation and the intent of the legislature while enacting it. Then the key provisions of the Act are analysed and a constitutional perspective is provided. The judicial interpretation of this child labour law is also narrated through various phases throughout history. The article concludes by providing suggestions for improving the current situation of law. The objective of this article is to sensitize the reader about the Child Labour Act and to help them form an informed opinion regarding the same.
