Bill to decriminalise minor offences to be introduced in the Lok Sabha today , Pg11.

Key Highlights:

• The Jan Vishwas (Amendment) Bill, 2025 will be introduced in the Lok Sabha by Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday.
• The bill aims to decriminalize minor offenses to promote ease of living and doing business.
• Over 350 provisions are proposed to be amended through this bill.
• The legislation is part of the government’s effort to improve the country’s business climate.
• In 2023, the Jan Vishwas (Amendment to Provisions) Act decriminalized 183 provisions in 42 Central Acts.

Detailed Insights:

• The Jan Vishwas (Amendment) Bill, 2025 builds upon the Jan Vishwas (Amendment to Provisions) Act, 2023, which decriminalized several minor offenses.
• The 2023 Act removed imprisonment and/or fines in some provisions, retained fines while removing imprisonment in others, and converted imprisonment and fines to penalties in some cases.
• The government has abolished more than 40,000 compliances deemed unnecessary and scrapped over 1,500 obsolete laws.
• The bill reflects the government's commitment to trust-based governance and reducing unnecessary legal burdens on citizens and businesses.
• The amendments are intended to simplify laws and prioritize public interests, as stated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Decriminalization: The process of removing criminal penalties for certain actions, making them civil offenses.
• Ease of Doing Business: An environment where businesses can operate efficiently and without unnecessary regulatory hurdles.
• Trust-Based Governance: A system of governance that relies on the integrity and responsibility of citizens and businesses, reducing the need for strict enforcement.