New Delhi, April 2 – The Parliament passed a bill on Thursday to amend 784 provisions in 79 central laws, aiming to decriminalize and simplify minor offenses to further improve the business environment and protect citizens from harassment.
The "Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026," was passed in the Rajya Sabha after a voice vote, following a discussion led by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal.
The Lok Sabha had already passed the bill on Wednesday.
The minister stated that the legislation would benefit citizens and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
"I believe that there should be no fear for those who make mistakes. There should be fear for those who intentionally break the law. We have tried to simplify this process," he said.
In response to questions and concerns raised by various MPs, the minister explained that comprehensive consultations were held with different government departments, state governments, and organizations before making the amendments.
The bill proposes to remove imprisonment in 57 provisions and fines in 158 provisions. It also proposes to reduce imprisonment in 17 provisions and convert imprisonment and fines into penalties in 113 provisions.
It also proposes 67 amendments under the New Delhi Municipal Council Act, 1994, and the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, to facilitate ease of living.
Refuting suggestions that the Drugs and Cosmetics Act is being weakened through the Jan Vishwas Bill, the minister clarified that the amendments are aimed at only making changes in procedural provisions and compliance.
"We should not go to jail or court for a small procedural mistake... If someone sells spurious drugs, stores them, imports them, manufactures them, or distributes them, and if the drugs are not approved by the drug controller, then a very strict and severe criminal punishment will be imposed on them," he said.
The minister also rejected criticism from opposition parties that the bill weakens provisions related to agriculture and allied sectors, stating that the changes will instead protect farmers' interests.
Goyal also asserted that the bill does not compromise on women's safety, and that certain changes made in the Railway Act are pro-women.
The bill also proposes 20 amendments under the Motor Vehicles Act, aiming to provide relaxation for some compliances under the Motor Vehicles Act and resolve legal ambiguities.
These include allowing vehicle registration throughout the state instead of a specific jurisdiction, allowing the renewal of driving licenses with effect from the date of renewal, and not from the date of expiry, providing a grace period of 30 days after the expiry of the license, during which the license will remain effective.
The bill also proposes amendments in the RBI Act, 1934; the Insurance Acts, and the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Act.
Besides, changes have been proposed in the Coal Mines Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act; the Patents Act; the Legal Metrology Act; the Cantonments Act, 2006; the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940; the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006; the Pharmacy Act, 1948; the Delhi Police Act; the Electricity Act; and the Railways Act.
According to the statement of objects and reasons, the bill "proposes to amend 79 central enactments, aims to decriminalize minor offences to reduce the compliance burden on businesses, promote ease of doing business and ease of living for citizens by rationalizing processes by... issuing warnings at the first instance of contraventions and imposing penalties for subsequent contraventions."
Overall, the bill aims to rationalize over 1,000 offenses, removing outdated and redundant provisions to improve the country's regulatory environment.
The bill envisions a shift from criminal penalties for minor, technical, or procedural defaults to civil and administrative enforcement mechanisms.
It proposes to replace certain 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 offense.
To ensure efficient and time-bound enforcement, the bill also provides for the appointment of adjudicating officers and the establishment of appellate authorities to facilitate the speedy disposal of cases and reduce litigation burden on courts, while ensuring adherence to principles of natural justice.
On March 17, 2026, the bill was withdrawn from the Lok Sabha for reintroduction after incorporating recommendations of a select committee.
On March 18, 2025, Goyal had introduced the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025, in the Lok Sabha. Later it was referred to the select committee.
The exercise builds on the success of the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023, the first consolidated legislation to systematically decriminalize minor offences across multiple Acts.
The 2023 Act, notified on August 11, 2023, decriminalized 183 provisions in 42 Central Acts administered by 19 ministries/departments.
