New Delhi (India) [India], April 2 (HBTV): Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026, 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 amend 784 provisions across 79 Central Acts administered by 23 ministries, decriminalise 717 provisions to promote ease of doing business, and amend 67 provisions to facilitate ease of living.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal replied to the debate on the Bill.
The legislation aims to rationalise more than 1,000 offences, remove outdated and redundant provisions, and improve the overall regulatory environment.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, introducing graded enforcement mechanisms such as warnings for first-time contraventions, and rationalising fines and penalties in proportion to the nature of the offence.
To ensure efficient and time-bound enforcement, the Bill provides for the appointment of adjudicating officers and the establishment of appellate authorities.
Officials said the measures aim to facilitate speedy disposal of cases and reduce the 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 the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
Officials said 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 an extensive consultation process consisting of 49 sittings with committee members, participating ministries, external stakeholders, and subject-matter experts. (ANI)