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Lok Sabha Passes Jan Vishwas Bill to Decriminalize 717 Offences for Business Ease

The Lok Sabha has passed the Jan Vishwas (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which aims to decriminalize hundreds of provisions to promote ease of business and living. It rationalizes over 1000 offences by shifting from criminal penalties to civil enforcement for minor or procedural defaults. Key measures include replacing imprisonment with monetary penalties and establishing new adjudicating authorities for faster case resolution. The bill results from extensive consultations with ministries, NITI Aayog, industry, and civil society.

Key Points: Jan Vishwas Bill Passed: Decriminalizes 717 Offences for Ease of Business

  • Decriminalizes 717 provisions
  • Amends 784 sections across 79 Central Acts
  • Replaces imprisonment with fines for minor defaults
  • Establishes Adjudicating Officers & Appellate Authorities
2 min read

Lok Sabha passes Jan Vishwas Amendment Bill

Lok Sabha passes Jan Vishwas Bill to decriminalize 717 provisions, rationalize over 1000 offences, and shift from imprisonment to fines for procedural defaults.

"promoting Ease of Doing Business and Ease of Living, while advancing a governance framework based on trust - Bill Objective"

New Delhi, April 2

Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the Jan Vishwas Bill, 2026 which is aimed at promoting Ease of Doing Business and Ease of Living, while advancing a governance framework based on trust and proportionate regulation.

The Bill seeks to amendment 784 provisions of 79 Central Acts administered by 23 Ministries, decriminalise 717 provisions to promote Ease of Doing Business and amend of 67 provisions to facilitate Ease of Living.

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal replied to the debate on the bill.

The Bill seeks to rationalise more than 1000 offences, remove utdated and redundant provisions and improve the overall regulatory environment.

It envisages a shift from criminal penalties for minor, technical, or procedural defaults to civil and administrative enforcement mechanisms.

Key measures include replacing imprisonment provisions with monetary penalties or warnings, graded enforcement mechanisms, including warnings for first-time contraventions and rationalization of fines and penalties in proportion to the nature of the offence

To ensure efficient and time-bound enforcement, the Bill provides for appointment of Adjudicating Officers and establishment of Appellate Authorities

Officials said that the measures aim to facilitate speedy disposal of cases and reduce litigation burden on courts, while ensuring adherence to principles of natural justice.

The Bill also proposes 67 amendments under the New Delhi Municipal Council Act, 1994 and Motor Vehicles Act, 1988

Officials said that the amendments are aimed at simplifying procedures and enhancing citizen convenience in areas such as municipal taxation and vehicle-related compliance.

The bill is based on a comprehensive consultative process involving Inter-Ministerial Committee meetings, High-Level Committee meetings under NITI Aayog, interactions with industry associations, and civil society organisations.

The Select Committee on the Jan Vishwas (Amendment) Bill, 2025 undertook a comprehensive consultation process consisting of 49 sittings with committee members, participating Ministries, external stakeholders, and subject-matter experts.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Trust-based governance sounds good on paper. But will it lead to more corruption? Replacing jail with fines might just mean officials demanding bigger bribes, knowing there's no serious criminal consequence. The system needs strong, transparent oversight.
R
Rohit P
Finally! The Motor Vehicles Act amendments are much needed. The current rules for things like address change or minor modifications are a nightmare at the RTO. If this truly brings ease of living, it will be a big relief for common citizens.
S
Sarah B
As someone who has worked with startups here, the outdated laws were a major hurdle. Reducing the litigation burden is critical. Freeing up court time for serious crimes is a positive side effect. Hope this attracts more investment.
M
Meera T
The consultation process seems extensive with 49 sittings. That's promising. Often these bills are rushed. If they've really listened to industry and civil society, there's a better chance it will work on the ground. Fingers crossed!
V
Vikram M
Good move overall, but a word of caution. "Proportionate regulation" must not become "no regulation" for powerful entities. The graded penalties and warnings for first-time offences make sense, but repeat offenders need stiffer, escalating consequences.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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