Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026: Decriminalization & Penalty Reforms

On 8-4-2026, the Ministry of Law and Justice issued the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026 to amend certain enactments for decriminalizing and rationalizing offences to further enhance trust-based governance for ease of living and doing business.

Key Features:

1. Main Objective:

   The main objective of the Act is to promote ease of doing business and improve trust-based governance by decriminalizing minor and technical offences across various laws. It seeks to achieve this by:

   • Replacing certain criminal penalties and imprisonment with monetary penalties;

   • Rationalizing fines and penalties to make them proportionate and effective;

   • Reducing unnecessary criminal liability for citizens and businesses;

   • Ensuring efficient enforcement through simplified compliance mechanisms.

2. The following statutes have been revised:

   • Court fees Act, 1970;

   • Cattle trespass Act, 1871;

   • Presidency Small Clause Courts Act, 1882;

   • Live-stock Importation Act, 1898;

   • Works of Defense Act, 1903;

   • Indian Succession Act, 1925;

   • Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934;

   • Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940;

   • Pharmacy Act, 1948;

   • Dock Workers (Regulation of Employment) Act, 1948;

   • Damodar Valley Corporation Act, 1948;

   • Coal Mines Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1948;

   • Central Silk Board Act, 1948;

   • Road Transport Corporations Act, 1950;

   • Requisitioning and Acquisition of Immovable Property Act, 1952;

   • Reserve and Auxiliary Air Forces Act, 1952;

   • Tea Act, 1953;

   • Coir Industry Act, 1953;

   • Delivery of Books and Newspapers (Public Libraries) Act, 1954;

   • Life Insurance Corporation Act, 1956;

   • National Highways Act, 1956;

   • Slum Areas (Improvement and Clearance) Act, 1956;

   • Copyright Act, 1957;

   • Coal Bearing Areas (Acquisition and Development) Act, 1957;

   • Delhi Development Act, 1957;

   • Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957;

   • Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957;

   • Delhi Land Holdings (Ceiling) Act, 1960;

   • Apprentices Act, 1961;

   • Petroleum and Minerals Pipelines (Acquisition of Right of User in Land) Act, 1962;

   • Textiles Committee Act, 1963;

   • Administrators- General Act, 1963;

   • Seamen’s Provident Fund Act, 1966;

   • Civil Defence Act, 1968;

   • Patents Act, 1970;

   • Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971;

   • Marine Products Export Development Authority Act, 1972;

   • General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Act, 1972;

   • Richardson and Cruddas Limited (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertaking) Act, 1972;

   • Oil Industry (Development) Act, 1974;

   • Delhi Police Act, 1978;

   • Hind Cycles Limited and Sen-Raleigh Limited (Nationalisation) Act, 1980;

   • Dalmia Dadri Cement Limited (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1981;

   • British India Corporation Limited (Acquisition of Shares) Act, 1981;

   • Maritime Zones of India (Regulation of Fishing by Foreign Vessels) Act, 1981;

   • Inchek Tyres Limited and the National Rubber Manufacturers Limited (Nationalization) Act, 1984;

   • Calcutta Metro Railway (Operation and Maintenance) Temporary Provisions Act, 1985;

   • Handlooms (Reservation of Articles for Production) Act, 1985;

   • Inland Waterways Authority of India Act, 1985;

   • Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority Act, 1985;

   • Motor Vehicles Act, 1988;

   • Railways Act, 1989;

   • New Delhi Municipal Council Act, 1994;

   • Lalit Kala Akadami (Taking Over of Management) Act, 1997;

   • Metro Railways (Operation and Maintenance) Act, 2002;

   • Control of National Highways (Land and Traffic) Act, 2002;

   • Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 2002;

   • Electricity Act, 2003;

   • Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act, 2005;

   • Disaster Management Act, 2005;

   • Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board Act, 2006;

   • Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006;

   • Cantonments Act, 2006;

   • Carriage by Road Act, 2007;

   • Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animals Act, 2009;

   • Legal Metrology Act, 2009;

   • Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010;

   • Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Act, 2013;

   • Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015;

   • Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016;

   • Recycling of Ships Act, 2019;

   • Major Port Authorities Act, 2021;

   • National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Act, 2021;

   • Marine Aids to Navigation Act, 2021;

   • Inland Vessels Act, 2021;

   • Indian Antarctic Act, 2022;

   • Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023;

   • Coastal Shipping Act, 2025;

   • Merchant Shipping Act, 2025;

   • Indian Ports Act, 2025.

3. Revision in the fines and penalties mentioned under the above statutes:

   The fines and penalties levied under the above-mentioned Acts have been increased by 10% of their minimum amount every 3 years after this Act comes to force.

   However, if any listed law already has its own method for revising fines or penalties, that method will apply instead, and this 10% increase will not be used for that law.

4. Savings Clause:

   • This Act does not change how other laws work just because they mention or rely on laws that are amended or repealed by it.

   • It also does not affect anything that has already happened under the old laws, such as past actions, decisions, rights, duties, liabilities, penalties, claims, court cases, remedies, releases, or indemnities.

   • Further, it does not change existing legal principles, court powers, procedures, practices, customs, privileges, exemptions, offices, or appointments, even if these were based on laws now amended or repealed.

   • Finally, repealing or amending a law under this Act will not revive or restore any right, liability, power, office, custom, or procedure that no longer exists or is no longer in force.

Also Read:

Modern Maritime Governance takes shape under Merchant Shipping Act, 2025

https://www.scconline.com/blog/post/2025/08/20/merchant-shipping-act-india-maritime-reform-seafarer-welfare/

Coastal Shipping Act, 2025 partially repeals Provisions of Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 dealing with Control of Indian Ships and Ships Engaged in Coasting Trade

https://www.scconline.com/blog/post/2025/08/12/coastal-shipping-act-partially-repealed-merchant-shipping-act/

Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023

https://www.scconline.com/blog/post/2023/08/16/jan-vishwas-amendment-of-provisions-act-2023/

Inland Vessels Act, 2021

https://www.scconline.com/blog/post/2021/08/17/regulations-governing-inland-vessel-navigations-through-inland-waters-enacted-vide-inland-vessels-act-2021/

Marine Aids to Navigation Act, 2021 comes into force, rescinding 90-year-old Lighthouse Act, 1927

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Parliament passes National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Bill, 2020

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https://www.scconline.com/blog/post/2024/02/29/pfrda-notifies-redressal-of-subscriber-grievance-second-amendment-regulations-2024-legal-news/

[Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026, dated 9-4-2026]