In a landmark move to deepen regulatory reforms, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal today introduced the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025 in the Lok Sabha.
The Bill, approved by the Union Cabinet, aims to streamline governance by decriminalising minor offences and rationalising penalties across 16 Central Acts.
Building on the success of the Jan Vishwas Act, 2023, which decriminalised 183 provisions across 42 Acts, the 2025 Bill proposes amendments to 355 provisions—288 focused on Ease of Doing Business and 67 on Ease of Living. Notably, first-time contraventions under 76 provisions will now attract advisory or warning instead of punitive action.
Key reforms include:
- Replacing imprisonment clauses for technical defaults with monetary penalties.
- Graduated penalties for repeat offences.
- Empowering designated officers to adjudicate cases administratively.
- Automatic 10% escalation of fines every three years.
The Bill also revisits four Acts from the 2023 legislation—Tea Act, Legal Metrology Act, Motor Vehicles Act, and Drugs and Cosmetics Act—for further decriminalisation. With its emphasis on “Minimum Government, Maximum Governance,” the Bill is expected to catalyse sustainable growth and reduce regulatory friction for businesses and citizens alike.
The Bill has been referred to a Select Committee, which will present its report in the next parliamentary session.
