Current Affairs Topics Archive
International Relations Economics Polity & Governance Environment & Ecology Science & Technology Internal Security Geography Social Issues Art & Culture Modern History

Jan Vishwas Bill 'giant step' for ease of living, business: Shah

April 03, 2026 4 min read Polity & Governance Economics GS Paper II GS Paper III
On This Page ▼

What Happened

  • Parliament passed the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026, amending 784 provisions across 79 Central Acts administered by 23 Ministries
  • The bill decriminalizes 717 business-related provisions to promote Ease of Doing Business and introduces 67 citizen-centric reforms for Ease of Living
  • Minor criminal offences are being replaced with civil penalties, fines, and compounding mechanisms
  • The bill was referred to a Select Committee chaired by Tejasvi Surya, which held 49 sittings before submitting its report on March 13, 2026
  • This is the second iteration of the Jan Vishwas reform initiative, following the Jan Vishwas Act of 2023

Static Topic Bridges

Decriminalization of Economic Offences in India

Decriminalization refers to the process of replacing criminal penalties (imprisonment) with civil penalties (fines, monetary penalties) for minor or technical offences. India's statute books historically carried a large number of provisions that imposed imprisonment for regulatory or procedural violations, creating an environment of fear and harassment rather than compliance.

  • The Jan Vishwas Act, 2023 (Act No. 18 of 2023) was the first wave, decriminalizing 183 provisions across 42 Central Acts administered by 19 Ministries, notified on August 11, 2023
  • The Jan Vishwas Bill, 2026 significantly expands this: 784 provisions across 79 Acts (23 Ministries) -- more than four times the scale of the 2023 Act
  • Methods of decriminalization include: removing both imprisonment and fine; removing imprisonment while retaining fine; converting imprisonment to monetary penalty; introducing compounding of offences
  • The bill establishes Adjudicating Officers and Appellate Authorities to handle civil penalties, reducing burden on criminal courts
  • Covers sectors including coal, commerce and industry, shipping, urban development, and transport

Connection to this news: The passage of the Jan Vishwas Bill 2026 represents the largest single decriminalization exercise in Indian legislative history, building on the foundation laid by the 2023 Act and reflecting a broader governance philosophy of replacing punitive approaches with trust-based compliance frameworks.

Ease of Doing Business Reforms in India

India's Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) reforms are a comprehensive initiative coordinated by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) to reduce regulatory compliance burden, simplify business processes, and attract investment.

  • India improved by 79 ranks in the World Bank's Doing Business rankings over 5 years (reaching 63rd in 2020, the last edition)
  • The World Bank's new B-READY (Business Ready) Assessment will include India in its Third Report, scheduled for 2026
  • Seven editions of the Business Reforms Action Plan (BRAP) completed: 2015, 2016, 2017-18, 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2024
  • Over 9,700 reforms carried out across States and Union Territories
  • Over 47,000 regulatory compliances reduced in the last five years
  • Active registered company registrations grew approximately 27%, from 1.55 lakh in 2020-21 to 1.98 lakh in 2025-26
  • RBI's Business Expectations Index has stayed above the neutral benchmark of 100 through FY 2024-25 and into Q2 of FY 2025-26

Connection to this news: The Jan Vishwas Bill forms part of a broader ecosystem of EoDB reforms where decriminalization of minor offences reduces the compliance burden and harassment faced by businesses, particularly MSMEs, which are disproportionately affected by the threat of criminal prosecution for technical violations.

Criminal Law Reform and Governance Philosophy

India's criminal justice reform involves a broader shift from a colonial-era punitive framework to a modern governance approach that distinguishes between serious criminal conduct and regulatory non-compliance. The principle of proportionality -- that penalties should match the gravity of the offence -- underpins this reform.

  • India replaced its colonial-era criminal laws in 2023-24: the Indian Penal Code (1860) replaced by Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Code of Criminal Procedure (1973) replaced by Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and the Indian Evidence Act (1872) replaced by Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam
  • The Jan Vishwas initiative complements these reforms by addressing regulatory and economic offences separately from core criminal law
  • The 248th Law Commission Report recommended decriminalization of offences punishable with fine only
  • The Economic Survey 2020-21 had specifically recommended that jailing for minor economic offences does not serve any purpose and clogs the courts

Connection to this news: The Jan Vishwas Bill 2026 operationalizes the governance principle that regulatory non-compliance should be treated as a civil matter with proportionate penalties, reserving criminal prosecution for serious offences involving fraud, wilful default, or public harm.

Key Facts & Data

  • Jan Vishwas Act 2023: 183 provisions decriminalized across 42 Acts (19 Ministries), notified August 11, 2023
  • Jan Vishwas Bill 2026: 784 provisions amended across 79 Acts (23 Ministries)
  • Of the 784 provisions: 717 for Ease of Doing Business, 67 for Ease of Living
  • Select Committee: 49 sittings, report submitted March 13, 2026, chaired by Tejasvi Surya
  • India's EoDB rank improvement: 79 ranks over 5 years (World Bank Doing Business)
  • Active company registrations: 1.55 lakh (2020-21) to 1.98 lakh (2025-26), ~27% growth
  • Over 47,000 regulatory compliances reduced in last 5 years
  • World Bank B-READY Assessment for India: scheduled for 2026