In a significant move aimed at fostering a more business-friendly environment and reducing the burden on courts, the Delhi government is drafting the Jan Vishwas Bill, 2025. This proposed legislation seeks to abolish jail terms for dozens of minor offences, shifting the focus from criminal prosecution to civil penalties.
What the Jan Vishwas Bill 2025 Proposes
The core objective of the bill is to decriminalise a wide range of minor infractions currently spread across at least ten government departments. These include departments handling power, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), tourism, trade and taxes, labour, and excise. Offences such as damaging DJB pipelines or operating as a trader in government mandis without a licence are examples of violations that may no longer lead to imprisonment.
An official explained that the key change involves replacing criminal fines and potential short- to long-term jail sentences with civil penalties. "Instead of being prosecuted and potentially jailed for minor violations, offenders will face monetary penalties, to be recovered as arrears," the official stated. This shift is designed to prevent individuals and small entrepreneurs from acquiring unnecessary criminal records for trivial, often unintentional, breaches of the law.
Building on a National Model and State-Level Actions
This exercise by the Delhi administration is not happening in isolation. It builds upon the success of the central government's Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023. That landmark parliamentary legislation, notified on August 11, 2023, systematically decriminalised 183 provisions across 42 central acts administered by 19 ministries.
Delhi's version aims to extend this decriminalisation principle to state-level laws, particularly those impacting daily life and small businesses. The government is opting for a consolidated bill to avoid the cumbersome process of moving multiple separate amendments for various departmental laws. The law department is currently drafting the bill, with the latest meeting held on a recent Friday.
Delhi joins several other Indian states in this reform. Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, and Odisha have already passed or prepared similar bills and ordinances, indicating a nationwide trend towards rationalising minor offence penalties.
Expected Impact and Next Steps
The proposed reform has been welcomed by business groups, who argue it will reduce the fear of criminal prosecution for minor, inadvertent violations. Brijesh Goyal, Chairman of the Chamber of Trade and Industries, called it a "progressive step" that will help reduce litigation and encourage compliance over punishment.
From a governance perspective, officials believe the move will promote a more citizen-centric model. "By moving away from criminal prosecution for minor infractions, we want to promote a more business-friendly and citizen-centric governance model," said the official involved in the process.
The Delhi government plans to table the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025, in the upcoming winter session of the legislative assembly. Seven departments have already submitted their comments, broadly backing the proposal. Once passed by the assembly, the amendments will come into force after an official notification is issued.
