The legislation decriminalizes 717 provisions across 79 central laws, replacing jail terms for minor, technical, and procedural offences with monetary fines, warnings, and improvement notices. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called it a historic shift toward a 'trust-based framework' and a major boost to both Ease of Living and Ease of Doing Business.

What Does the Jan Vishwas Bill 2026 Actually Do?

At its core, this law ends the practice of sending people to prison for minor rule violations. It amends 784 provisions across 79 central acts administered by 23 ministries. Imprisonment is removed from 57 provisions entirely. Fines are eliminated from 158 provisions. In 113 additional provisions, imprisonment and fines are converted into civil penalties.

Imprisonment is reduced in 17 more. The scale is significant-over 1,000 offenses have been rationalized to remove outdated and redundant clauses that no longer reflect the nature of modern governance. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, presenting the bill in the Rajya Sabha, said reducing criminal penalties for minor infractions would support business reforms, improve daily life for citizens, and make India more attractive to investors.

Which Laws Are Affected - And How Does It Touch Everyday Life?

The bill reaches across sectors most people interact with regularly. Under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, violations that previously carried up to one year in prison will now attract civil penalties only. Offenses under the National Highways Act, 1956, shift from criminal punishment to financial penalties.

Under the Indian Succession Act and the Electricity Act, 2003, imprisonment provisions have been removed entirely and replaced with higher fines. Some offenses are eliminated altogether-giving a false fire alarm under the Delhi Police Act, 1978, and failing to report births or deaths under the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957, will no longer be criminal acts. The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the RBI Act, 1934, Insurance Acts, and even colonial-era laws like the Cattle Trespass Act, 1871, are all touched by the legislation.

How Will Enforcement Work Going Forward?

The bill introduces a structured, graduated approach to compliance-one that treats first-time violations differently from repeat offenses. Under certain legislation, first and second infractions will result in advisories or warnings prior to penalties. To decide on fines according to the type and seriousness of each offense, adjudicating officers will be chosen.

Appeals will be handled by Appellate Authorities, resulting in a more open and less punishing system.Appeals will be handled by Appellate Authorities, resulting in a less harsh and more open system. To prevent fines from losing deterrent value over time, the bill builds in an automatic 10 percent increase in penalty amounts every three years. Improvement notices under laws like the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, will give businesses time to correct non-compliance before any penalty is imposed.

Jan Vishwas Amendment Bill 2026: Major Changes

The 2026 Bill is a massive expansion of previous efforts:

• Scale: It amends 784 provisions across 79 Central Acts administered by 23 Ministries. This is a major jump from the 2025 version, which only covered 17 Acts before a Select Committee recommended a broader scope.
• Shift to Civil Enforcement: It converts criminal penalties (imprisonment) into civil or administrative penalties (monetary fines) for 717 provisions.
• Rationalization: Over 1,000 offenses have been rationalized to remove outdated colonial-era laws and redundant provisions.

Jan Vishwas Amendment Bill 2026: Key Provisions

• Adjudication Mechanism: Instead of criminal courts, the Bill introduces Adjudicating Officers to hold inquiries and levy penalties. Appellate Authorities are also established to hear appeals, with a 60-day disposal deadline.
• Graded Penalties: For non-serious first-time offenses, the Bill allows for advisories or warnings before any financial penalty is imposed.
• Automatic Fine Revision: To ensure penalties remain a deterrent, fines will automatically increase by 10% every three years.
• Improvement Notices: Under the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, businesses may receive an 'improvement notice' to fix a compliance issue within a set timeframe before facing a penalty.
• Specific Legal Relief:
• Motor Vehicles Act: Introduces a 30-day grace period for expired driving licenses before any penalty applies.
• Indian Succession Act: Removes the mandatory court validation of wills in certain cases.
• National Highways Act: Replaces up to five years of imprisonment for making a highway unsafe with civil penalties ranging from ₹10 lakh to ₹1 crore.
• NDMC Act: Restructures property tax into separate building and vacant land components.

What Did PM Modi Say?

PM Modi praised the bill on X, calling it the end of outdated rules and regulations. 'A big boost to 'Ease of Living' and 'Ease of Doing Business,'' he wrote, adding that the consultative approach used to draft the legislation deserved recognition. 'My compliments to all those who have given their insights towards the drafting of the Bill and supported it in Parliament.' The government said the bill reflects its principle of 'Minimum Government, Maximum Governance' and incorporates extensive stakeholder feedback gathered before and during the legislative process.