Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026

The introduction of the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026 by Shri Jitin Prasada is a landmark step in India’s regulatory history. It marks a shift from a “command and control” legal framework to a “trust-based” governance model.

Core Objectives of the Bill:

The Bill is designed to modernize India’s legal landscape by focusing on two primary pillars:

• Ease of Doing Business (EoDB): Reducing the “compliance burden” on businesses by ensuring that minor technical or procedural slips do not lead to criminal records.
• Ease of Living: Simplifying citizen-centric laws (like municipal taxes and vehicle rules) to reduce harassment and improve convenience.

Key Statistical Highlights (2026 Bill):

The 2026 Bill is significantly more ambitious than its predecessors:

• Acts Covered: 79 Central Acts administered by 23 Ministries.
• Provisions Amended: 784 provisions in total.
• Decriminalization: 717 provisions (shifted from criminal to civil liability).
• Ease of Living: 67 specific amendments (specifically under the NDMC Act and Motor Vehicles Act).
• Rationalization: Over 1,000 offences are being streamlined to remove redundancy.

Major Features and Shift in Enforcement:

The Bill envisages a move away from “Inspector Raj” towards a more proportionate regulatory mechanism:

A. Decriminalization Strategy:

• Removal of Imprisonment: For minor defaults, jail terms are replaced with monetary penalties.
• Graded Enforcement: Introduction of a “Warning” system for first-time offenders, ensuring that honest mistakes are not punished severely.
• Proportionate Fines: Fines and penalties are recalculated to match the actual nature and gravity of the offence.

B. New Institutional Framework:

To ensure these changes aren’t just on paper, the Bill mandates:

• Adjudicating Officers: Specialized officers to handle civil defaults, bypassing the slow court system.
• Appellate Authorities: A dedicated mechanism for citizens/businesses to appeal against the decisions of Adjudicating Officers, ensuring the Principles of Natural Justice.

Specific Legislative Examples:

While the Bill covers 79 Acts, two prominent examples mentioned are:

1. Motor Vehicles Act, 1988: Aimed at simplifying vehicle-related compliance for common citizens.
2. New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) Act, 1994: Focusing on simplifying municipal taxation procedures.

The Evolution: 2023 to 2026:

It is important to understand the trajectory of this reform:

• Jan Vishwas Act, 2023: Decriminalized 183 provisions across 42 Acts.
• Jan Vishwas Bill, 2025: Proposed 355 amendments. It was referred to a Select Committee chaired by Shri Tejasvi Surya.
• Select Committee’s Role: Held 49 sittings and recommended a massive expansion, adding 62 more Acts to the list.
• The 2026 Bill: Based on the Committee’s report, the 2025 Bill was withdrawn and the current, more comprehensive 2026 version was introduced.

Significance for Governance:

• Reducing Judicial Burden: By moving minor cases out of criminal courts to Adjudicating Officers, the backlog of cases (pendency) is expected to decrease.
• Attracting Investment: A predictable and trust-based legal environment is a key signal to global investors that India is a safe and “business-friendly” destination.
• Modernizing Bureaucracy: It forces departments to move from a punitive mindset to a consultative and regulatory one.