Brief Context
Context The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025 was introduced in Lok Sabha. Need for the Amendment More than 75% of all crimes are defined under laws that regulate areas beyond core criminal justice, such as shipping, taxation, financial institutions, and municipal governance. There are some inexplicably high punishments for seemingly routine offences.
Source Content
Syllabus: GS2/Governance
Context
- The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025 was introduced in Lok Sabha.
Major Provisions
- Decriminalising Offences:
- It seeks to amend 17 central Acts to mainly decriminalise or rationalise certain offences and penalties.
- These include the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, the Apprentices Act, 1961, and the New Delhi Municipal Council Act, 1994.
- Revision of fines and penalties: The Bill revises the monetary value of fines and penalties for several offences.
- It further provides that fines and penalties specified by it will increase by 10% of the respective minimum amount every three years.
- Removal of penalties for the first instance of an offence: The Bill amends some Acts to provide for warnings in the first instance of an offence.
- The Bill amends this to provide for issuance of a warning in case of the first offence, and levy of a monetary penalty for subsequent offences.
- Adjudication of penalties: The Bill amends certain Acts to provide for the appointment of adjudicating officers to hold inquiries and adjudicate penalties.
Need for the Amendment
- More than 75% of all crimes are defined under laws that regulate areas beyond core criminal justice, such as shipping, taxation, financial institutions, and municipal governance.
- There are some inexplicably high punishments for seemingly routine offences.
- While many such criminal provisions are rarely enforced, they may lead to the arbitrary exercise of power by the state.
- The excessive criminalisation further burdens India’s already burdened legal system.
Significance
- The goal of Jan Vishwas is to create a more business-friendly environment and promote ease of living by eliminating unnecessary legal hurdles and simplifying the regulatory landscape.
Source: IE