The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026 is a legislative Bill introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 27, 2026, which aims to amend certain enactments for decriminalising and rationalising offences to further enhance trust-based governance. The Bill's origin lies in the need to address the excessive criminalisation of minor procedural lapses, missed filings, or technical defaults under numerous Central Acts, which previously exposed citizens and businesses to criminal penalties, including imprisonment. It builds upon the foundation of the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023, which had already decriminalised 183 provisions across 42 Central laws.
The Bill proposes amendments in 79 Central Acts administered by 23 Ministries, covering 784 provisions. Its central mechanism is the replacement of criminal penalties for minor violations with civil and administrative alternatives, such as monetary penalties. For first-time contraventions, the Bill introduces a graded response, such as an advisory or warning, before a civil penalty is imposed for subsequent contraventions. It also provides for the appointment of adjudicating officers to hold inquiries and adjudicate penalties, and appellate authorities to hear appeals. The Bill connects to and amends various laws, including the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, the Apprentices Act, 1961, and the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The Bill replaced the earlier Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025, which was withdrawn on March 17, 2026, after a Select Committee recommended a broader scope of amendments. A key provision that stayed the same from the 2023 Act is the mechanism for periodic revision, where fines and penalties will increase by 10% of the minimum amount every three years, unless the specific Act provides otherwise.