Centre Introduces 'Jan Vishwas Bill' To Boost Ease Of Business By Decriminalising Minor Offences, All You Need To Know

The Jan Vishwas Bill, which seeks to decriminalise minor offences to boost ease of business in the country, was introduced in Lok Sabha by the Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday. The bill was later referred to a 31-member joint committee of Parliament for scrutiny. It proposes amending 183 provisions across 42 Acts that come under the administration of 19 ministries.

'We Have To Trust People'

Goyal noted that there are numerous laws in the nation with provisions for punishment for small offences, for which individuals often have to approach the judiciary. "We have to trust people. For minor mistakes, people should not be penalised. For minor offences, there should be a provision for paying fines," he said, NDTV reported. He added that the government had implemented a number of policies to encourage ease of doing business.

According to the minister, about 1,500 outdated laws have been repealed, 39,000 compliances have been made simpler, and about 3,500 norms have been introduced to decriminalise offences. He remarked that these will also help lessen the burden on the courts.

In addition to decriminalising minor offences, the law calls for a rationalisation of financial penalties based on the seriousness of the offence, supporting a trust-based government. The measure also suggests that the minimum fine and penalty amount be increased by 10 per cent every three years after it expires. It also says that India needs to get rid of the burden of outdated rules that hinders its commercial progress.

"The government is committed to making India the most preferred global investment destination by boosting investor confidence. The fear of imprisonment for minor offences is a major factor hampering the growth of the business ecosystem and individual confidence," it said.

What Will The Bill Change?

There are many small offences that should be decriminalised and replaced with monetary fines. "Settlement of a large number of issues, by compounding method, adjudication and administrative mechanism, without involving courts, will enable persons to remedy minor contraventions and defaults, sometimes committed unknowingly by them, and save time, energy and resources," the proposal said.

Several laws under the Union Ministries that oversee food production, financial services, agriculture, finance, road transport and highways, commerce, electronics, environment, posts and IT will be affected by the proposed amendments.

The Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940; Copyright Act, 1957; Patents Act, 1970; Environment (Protection) Act, 1986; Pharmacy Act, 1948; Public Debt Act, 1944; Cinematograph Act, 1952; and Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 will be affected by the newly proposed bill.

Other laws that will also undergo certain amendments include the Railways Act, 1989; Trade Marks Act, 1999; Legal Metrology Act, 2009; Information Technology Act, 2000; Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006; Prevention of Money-laundering Act, 2002; and the Factoring Regulation Act, 2011.

Also Read: School Curriculums To Have Chapter On 'Prevention Of Food Wastage', Aims At Raising Awareness Among Students