Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025

Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025

Context:

The Union Minister of Commerce and Industry recently introduced the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025, in the Lok Sabha. It reflects the Government’s commitment to “Minimum Government, Maximum Governance”.

 

Background:

  • Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023 is the first consolidated legislation to systematically decriminalise minor offences across multiple Acts. Notified on August 11, 2023, it decriminalized 183 provisions in 42 central acts administered by 19 Ministries/ Departments.
  • The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025, expands this reform agenda. It covers 16 central acts administered by 10 additional Ministries/ Departments.
  • Four specific acts—the Tea Act, 1953; the Legal Metrology Act, 2009; the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988; and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940—were part of the Jan Vishwas Act, 2023 and are proposed for further decriminalization under the current bill.

 

Objective:

  • The primary aim of the bill is to simplify compliance with laws, modernize the legal framework, and foster a system based on trust.

 

Key Provisions:

The Act proposes amendments to a total of 355 provisions. Of these, 288 are to be decriminalized to promote Ease of Doing Business, while 67 are to be amended to facilitate Ease of Living.

  1. Decriminalization of Offenses: The bill decriminalizes offenses under 288 provisions. Imprisonment clauses for minor, technical or procedural defaults replaced with monetary penalties or warnings.
  2. Rationalisation of penalties: Penalties made proportionate, with graduated penalties for repeated offences.
  3. First-time contraventions: Advisory or warning for 76 offences under 10 Acts.
  4. Improvements for Ease of Living: Various provisions have been proposed to amend acts such as the New Delhi Municipal Council Act, 1994, and the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, to improve the ease of living for citizens.
  5. Adjudication Mechanism: The bill empowers designated officers to impose penalties through administrative procedures. This is intended to reduce the burden on the judiciary.
  6. Revision of fines and penalties: Automatic 10% increase every three years to maintain deterrence without legislative amendments.

 

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