India Parliament Passes Jan Vishwas Bill Decriminalizing Minor Offenses

Parliament passed the Jan Vishwas Amendment of Provisions Bill, 2026, on Thursday, marking a major reform to decriminalize minor offenses across dozens of central laws and streamline regulations for citizens and businesses in India. The legislation cleared the Rajya Sabha by voice vote a day after the Lok Sabha approved it on Wednesday in New Delhi.

The bill amends 784 provisions in 79 central acts administered by 23 ministries, focusing on rationalizing over 1,000 offenses by replacing criminal penalties with civil and administrative measures. It decriminalizes 717 provisions, eliminating imprisonment in 57 cases, removing fines in 158, converting penalties to civil fines in 113, and reducing jail terms in 17 others. This shift targets minor, technical, or procedural violations, substituting them with monetary penalties, warnings, or improvement notices to reduce compliance burdens and litigation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the passage as a significant advancement, stating on social media, "A big boost to Ease of Living and Ease of Doing Business. This Bill strengthens a trust-based framework that empowers our citizens. It marks the end of rules and regulations that...