Jan Vishwas Amendment of Provisions Bill 2025
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General Studies Paper II: Constitutional Amendment, Government Policies and Interventions |
Why in News?
The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025 was recently tabled in the Lok Sabha. The Bill continues the government’s reform agenda that began with the earlier Jan Vishwas Act of 2023. The proposal covers changes in 17 central Acts where punishments are being simplified.
- It covers 17 different Acts, including the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, the Apprentices Act, 1961, and the New Delhi Municipal Council Act, 1994.
Key Provisions of the Jan Vishwas Amendment of Provisions Bill 2025
- Decriminalisation: The Bill makes an important shift by decriminalising a number of small offences that earlier carried both fines and imprisonment. For instance, under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, driving by someone unfit due to physical or mental condition was earlier treated as a punishable offence. Now it will attract only a fine, removing the threat of imprisonment.
- A similar change has been proposed in the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority Act, 1985, where violation of export and import orders earlier led to jail terms but will now result only in monetary penalties.
- Removal of Jail Terms: The Bill removes imprisonment clauses for certain non-serious violations. For example, under the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, stamping or using weights and measures in violation of rules carried up to one year of imprisonment. The Bill now proposes that such cases be settled only through fines.
- Similarly, under the Electricity Act, 2003, ignoring directions or orders earlier invited up to three months of jail, but now it will be replaced by financial penalties alone.
- Revision of Penalties: It provides that the value of fines will automatically increase by 10% every three years, beginning from the minimum amount fixed.
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- It ensures that monetary penalties remain updated and meaningful with time. The 2023 Act had already set this mechanism, but the new Bill makes it clear that specific Acts with their own revision system will continue to follow their existing process.
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- First-Time Offenders: The Bill brings in a relaxation for first-time violators in some sectors. For example, under the Central Silk Board Act, 1948, providing false information earlier carried imprisonment or fine. The amendment now allows the issuance of a warning in the first instance, while monetary penalties will be applied only for repeated violations.
- A similar approach has been extended to the Tea Act, 1953, which will help reduce the burden on small businesses and encourage voluntary correction.
- Use of Improvement Notices: Under the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, the new Bill allows officials to issue improvement notices for the first violation instead of directly imposing fines. These notices require the violator to correct the mistake within a given time frame. Only if the same offence is repeated will a financial penalty apply.
- Appointment of Adjudicating Authorities: It also provides for the appointment of adjudicating authorities to handle inquiries and decide penalties. It empowers the government to appoint adjudicating officers who will conduct inquiries and impose penalties after hearing the concerned parties. Further, it provides for appellate authorities where decisions of adjudicating officers can be challenged.
- Property Tax and Advertisement Tax: A significant amendment has been proposed in the New Delhi Municipal Council Act, 1994. The Bill restructures the system of property tax by splitting it into building tax and vacant land tax. It introduces a Municipal Valuation Committee to recommend base values for properties and determine the procedure for revision.
- In addition, a Hardship and Anomaly Committee will be set up to address complaints related to tax assessments.
- Offences like deliberate non-payment of property tax or furnishing false details will carry imprisonment ranging from one month to seven years along with a minimum fine of 50% of the tax evaded.
- The Bill also removes the provision for advertisement tax within the NDMC area.
Need for the Jan Vishwas Amendment of Provisions Bill 2025
- Relieve Growing Judiciary Burden: India’s courts handle an overwhelming number of pending cases. As of 2024, nearly 4.5 crore cases were pending across the judicial system. A significant portion—25–30 percent (roughly 1.1 crore cases)—involve minor regulatory and economic violations. By converting these into administrative penalties, the Bill could remove 10–12 lakh new cases annually from the judicial pipeline.
- Promote Ease of Doing Business: The Bill proposes to decriminalise 288 provisions spread across different Central laws. This move aims to simplify rules and reduce fear of criminal prosecution for minor infractions. The reform expands on the Jan Vishwas Act, 2023, which had already removed criminal provisions from 183 sections across 42 Central laws. The expanded reform under Bill 2.0 deepens this effort, covering 355 amendments across 16 Acts.
- Foster Trust-Based Governance: The Bill aligns with the policy doctrine of “Minimum Government, Maximum Governance.” It introduces warnings for first-time contraventions (covering 76 offences under 10 Acts) and replaces criminal penalties with civil fines or notices. This shift encourages citizens and businesses to comply without fear.
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