The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026 has been introduced in the Lok Sabha after Union Cabinet approval. The Bill is part of the Government’s wider reform push to improve ease of doing business and ease of living by reducing criminal liability for minor compliance failures and replacing it with proportionate civil enforcement.
Key Features of the Bill
- The Bill proposes amendments to 784 provisions across 79 Central Acts.
- It seeks decriminalisation of 717 provisions.
- It also aims to amend 67 provisions to improve ease of living.
- More than 1,000 offences are proposed to be rationalised.
Shift in Regulatory Approach
- The Bill moves away from imprisonment for minor, technical, or procedural defaults.
- It replaces such provisions with monetary penalties, warnings, and graded enforcement.
- First-time contraventions may attract warnings in some cases.
- Fines and penalties are to be aligned with the seriousness of the offence.
Enforcement and Dispute Resolution
- The Bill provides for the appointment of Adjudicating Officers.
- It also proposes Appellate Authorities for time-bound disposal of cases.
- These mechanisms are intended to reduce litigation and support natural justice.
- The reform is expected to streamline compliance and reduce pressure on courts.
Broader Reform Context
- The Bill continues the Jan Vishwas reform process started with the Jan Vishwas Act, 2023.
- The 2023 Act decriminalised 183 provisions in 42 Central Acts.
- The 2025 Bill was later withdrawn after detailed scrutiny by a Select Committee.
- The present Bill also covers amendments linked to the New Delhi Municipal Council Act, 1994 and the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.