Legislative Progression and Adoption of Jan Vishwas Decriminalization: UPSC Current Affairs Story Arc

Overview

The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill 2025 represents a second massive wave of decriminalization aimed at enhancing the 'Ease of Doing Business' in India. Following the 2023 Act, which addressed 183 provisions, the 2025 Bill targets 355 provisions across 16 Central Acts and 10 ministries. The core shift involves moving from a criminal trial system to an administrative adjudication process where designated officers levy monetary penalties or issue 'advisory warnings' instead of pursuing jail time. This federal initiative has gained regional momentum, with the Delhi Government approving a mirroring Bill in December 2025 to align local compliance with these national reforms. It matters because it signals a fundamental change in the state-citizen relationship—from suspicion to trust.

How This Story Evolved

The Union Minister introduced the Jan Vishwas Bill 2.0 in the Lok Sabha (August) → Detailed provisions for decriminalizing 288 offenses were established (September) → The Delhi Government approved a mirroring Bill to align with the Central initiative (December).

1. 2025-08-19: Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025 introduced in Lok Sabha.

   Key Facts:

   • Introduced in Lok Sabha by the Union Minister for Commerce and Industry
   • Builds upon the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023
   • Decriminalized 183 provisions across 42 Central Acts administered by 19 ministries and departments in 2023
   • Targets 355 provisions across 16 Central Acts under 10 ministries
   • Proposes replacing minor offenses with monetary penalties or warnings
   • Includes provisions under the New Delhi Municipal Council Act, 1994, and the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988
   • Automatic 10% increase in fines every three years is proposed
2. 2025-08-19: Jan Vishwas Bill 2.0
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Bill to decriminalize 288 minor business offenses for ease of business.

   Key Facts:

   • Decriminalize 288 minor business offenses
   • Advisory warnings for 76 offenses under 10 Acts
3. 2025-09-03: Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Jan Vishwas Bill shifts to trust-based, correction-first approach.

   Key Facts:

   • Decriminalisation of minor offences: 288 provisions shifted from criminal penalties to civil penalties across 16 central Acts.
   • Graduated penalty system: Introduction of “improvement notices” for first-time offences, giving violators a chance to comply before facing fines.
   • Adjudication by officers: Designated officials will handle violations through administrative processes rather than dragging cases to courts.
4. 2025-12-31: Delhi Government Approves Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill 2025
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Delhi Jan Vishwas Bill aims to decriminalize minor offenses.

   Key Facts:

   • Delhi Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill 2025 approved by Delhi Government.
   • Bill mirrors the Centre's Jan Vishwas initiative.

Genesis

Trigger

On August 19, 2025, the Union Minister for Commerce and Industry introduced the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025, in the Lok Sabha.

Why Now

The move builds on the momentum of the Jan Vishwas Act 2023, responding to long-standing industry demands to reduce 'compliance burden' and 'inspector raj' which stifled MSMEs and startups.

Historical Context

Since the 1991 Liberalization, India has sought to simplify its regulatory landscape. The 2022-23 Economic Survey noted that over 3,400 legal provisions had already been decriminalized, setting the stage for this 2.0 version.

Key Turning Points

1. [2025-08-19] Introduction of Jan Vishwas Bill 2.0 in Lok Sabha

   Expanded the scope of decriminalization from 42 Acts (in 2023) to an additional 16 Central Acts.

   Before: Punitive culture for 355 minor provisions. After: Shift toward monetary penalties and warnings.

2. [2025-09-03] Establishment of the Correction-First Approach

   Formalized the 'improvement notice' system and administrative adjudication.

   Before: Judicial intervention was the default for violations. After: Executive adjudication became the primary filter.

3. [2025-12-31] Delhi Government approval of mirroring Bill

   Demonstrates the horizontal spread of the reform from Union to States/UTs.

   Before: Decriminalization was largely a Central initiative. After: Local compliances in the capital also align with the trust-based model.

Key Actors and Institutions

Key Institutions

• Ministry of Commerce and Industry
• Lok Sabha
• Delhi Legislative Assembly
• Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) - contextual relevance for administrative adjudication

Key Concepts

Decriminalization

The legislative process of removing criminal sanctions (imprisonment) for an act and replacing them with civil or administrative penalties.

Current Fact: The 2025 Bill shifts 288 minor business offenses from criminal to civil penalties.

Administrative Adjudication

A process where executive officers, rather than judges, decide on violations and impose penalties through administrative proceedings.

Current Fact: Under the Sept 2025 provisions, designated officials handle violations to avoid dragging cases to courts.

Graduated Penalty System

A regulatory approach where penalties increase in severity based on the frequency or nature of the violation, often starting with a warning.

Current Fact: The Bill introduces 'improvement notices' for first-time offenders, giving them a chance to comply before being fined.

What Happens Next

Current Status

As of December 31, 2025, the Delhi Government has approved its version of the Jan Vishwas Bill, marking the transition of these reforms from the Union level to the State/UT legislative sphere.

Likely Next

The Delhi Bill will be tabled in the winter session of the Delhi Legislative Assembly; meanwhile, other states are expected to follow suit to maintain competitive 'Ease of Doing Business' rankings.

Wildcards

Judicial review of 'administrative adjudication'—if officers are seen as overstepping into judicial territory, it could lead to legal challenges regarding the separation of powers.

Why UPSC Cares

Syllabus Topics

• Government policies and interventions for development
• Changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth
• Separation of powers between various organs

Essay Angles

• Trust-based governance vs. Inspector Raj
• Minimum Government, Maximum Governance: The Decriminalization Path
• The role of judicial reform in economic prosperity

Prelims Likely: Yes

Mains Likely: Yes

Trend Signal: rising

Exam Intelligence

Previous Year Question Connections

• Identified the World Bank as the publisher of the Ease of Doing Business Index. — The Jan Vishwas Bill is India's domestic legislative tool to improve the specific parameters (contract enforcement, starting a business) measured by such global indices.
• Tested the composition and history of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT). — The Bill expands the 'Administrative Adjudication' ecosystem by empowering non-judicial officers to handle violations, a key concept in administrative law.

Prelims Angles

• The 2025 Bill targets 355 provisions across 16 Central Acts (unlike the 2023 Act which covered 42 Acts).
• Advisory warnings are proposed for 76 specific offenses under 10 Acts.
• Introduction of 'improvement notices' as a statutory pre-condition before fines.
• Administrative adjudication replaces the judicial process for these specific 288 offenses.

Mains Preparation

Sample Question: Discuss how the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill 2025 attempts to balance 'ease of doing business' with 'regulatory compliance'. Does the shift to administrative adjudication raise concerns regarding the separation of powers?

Answer Structure: Intro: Define Jan Vishwas 2.0 and its core goal (Trust-based governance) -> Body 1: Features like graduated penalties and decriminalization of 288 offenses -> Body 2: Economic impact (Ease of doing business, MSME growth) -> Critical Analysis: Concerns about administrative overreach and the role of the judiciary -> Conclusion: Way forward involving capacity building of adjudicating officers.

Essay Topic: Trust as the fundamental currency of a developed economy.

Textbook Connections

Key Takeaway

The Jan Vishwas 2.0 Bill is a strategic legislative shift from punitive policing to administrative correction, aiming to decouple minor business errors from criminal liability.

All Events in This Story (4 items)

1. 2025-08-19 [Polity & Governance] — Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025
   The Union Minister for Commerce and Industry introduced the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025 in the Lok Sabha, building upon the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023. The bill targets 355 provisions across 16 Central Acts under 10 ministries, aiming to decriminalize minor offenses and promote ease of doing business.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025 introduced in Lok Sabha.

   Key Facts:

   • Introduced in Lok Sabha by the Union Minister for Commerce and Industry
   • Builds upon the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023
   • Decriminalized 183 provisions across 42 Central Acts administered by 19 ministries and departments in 2023
   • Targets 355 provisions across 16 Central Acts under 10 ministries
   • Proposes replacing minor offenses with monetary penalties or warnings
   • Includes provisions under the New Delhi Municipal Council Act, 1994, and the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988
   • Automatic 10% increase in fines every three years is proposed
2. 2025-08-19 [Economy] — Jan Vishwas Bill 2.0
   The government has tabled a bill to decriminalize 288 minor business offenses, including advisory warnings for 76 offenses under 10 Acts, to improve ease of doing business.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Bill to decriminalize 288 minor business offenses for ease of business.

   Key Facts:

   • Decriminalize 288 minor business offenses
   • Advisory warnings for 76 offenses under 10 Acts
3. 2025-09-03 [Polity & Governance] — Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025
   The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025, seeks to address the challenge of over-criminalisation by shifting from a punitive enforcement culture to a trust-based, correction-first approach aimed at improving ease of doing business and governance. The bill aims to decriminalize minor offences.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Jan Vishwas Bill shifts to trust-based, correction-first approach.

   Key Facts:

   • Decriminalisation of minor offences: 288 provisions shifted from criminal penalties to civil penalties across 16 central Acts.
   • Graduated penalty system: Introduction of “improvement notices” for first-time offences, giving violators a chance to comply before facing fines.
   • Adjudication by officers: Designated officials will handle violations through administrative processes rather than dragging cases to courts.
4. 2025-12-31 [Polity & Governance] — Delhi Government Approves Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill 2025
   The Delhi Government has approved the Delhi Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill 2025, which aims to simplify compliance, decriminalise minor offences, ease the burden on courts and improve administrative efficiency. The Government plans to table the Bill in the upcoming winter session of the Delhi Legislative Assembly. The bill mirrors the Centre's Jan Vishwas initiative, under which minor offences in central laws were decriminalised in 2023 and 2025.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Delhi Jan Vishwas Bill aims to decriminalize minor offenses.

   Key Facts:

   • Delhi Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill 2025 approved by Delhi Government.
   • Bill mirrors the Centre's Jan Vishwas initiative.