NEW DELHI: The government on Friday introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha to amend certain provisions for decriminalising and rationalising minor offences to further promote ease of doing business and living.
The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026, was introduced by Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada after incorporating recommendations of a select committee.
It seeks to amend certain enactments to decriminalise and rationalise offences to further enhance trust-based governance for ease of living and doing business.
Congress Members K Kavya and GK Padavi opposed the introduction of the bill, stating that it infringes on the basic structure of the Indian Constitution.
Padavi urged the government to resend the bill to the select committee or join a parliamentary committee.
"This is an administrative oversight...the Bill is arbitrary and encourages corruption, and it should be reexamined," Padavi said, adding that a dissent note has been given in the select committee report also.
Prasada said detailed consultations have been held on the bill, and it is decriminalising only minor offences.
Prasada said the bill enhances ease of doing business and living by decriminalising minor offences and implementing measures, such as revising fines and penalties proportionate to the offence, and setting up appellate authorities.
"It proposes to amend 79 central acts, administered by 23 ministries, or a total of 784 provisions, are being proposed to be amended, out of which 717 provisions are being decriminalised to foster ease of doing business and 67 provisions are being proposed to facilitate ease of living," he said.
On March 17, the bill was withdrawn from the Lok Sabha for reintroduction after incorporating recommendations of a select committee.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, on March 18 last year, had introduced the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025, in the Lok Sabha, and it was referred to the select committee.
This exercise builds on the success of the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023, the first consolidated legislation to systematically decriminalise minor offences across multiple Acts.
The 2023 Act, notified on August 11, 2023, decriminalised 183 provisions in 42 Central Acts administered by 19 ministries/departments.