Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Pass Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026

1. At a Glance

• Omnibus decriminalisation statute amending 784 provisions across 79 Central Acts administered by 23 Ministries, piloted by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry [S1][S3].
• 717 provisions decriminalised (Ease of Doing Business) and 67 provisions amended to promote Ease of Living [S1].
• Marks the second-generation Jan Vishwas reform succeeding the Jan Vishwas Act, 2023 (which had decriminalised 183 provisions across 42 Acts).
• UPSC relevance: regulatory reform, trust-based governance, Ease of Doing Business, parliamentary legislation procedure.

2. Why in the News

• Lok Sabha passed the Bill on 1 April 2026; Rajya Sabha passed it on 2 April 2026 [S3].
• Introduced in Lok Sabha on 27 March 2026 by MoS Commerce & Industry Shri Jitin Prasada [S2][S3].
• Replaces the Jan Vishwas Bill 2025 (introduced 18 August 2025), which had proposed amending 17 Acts and was referred to a Select Committee chaired by Tejasvi Surya; committee reported on 13 March 2026 recommending amendments to 65 additional Acts; 2025 Bill withdrawn on 17 March 2026 [S3].

3. Background & Evolution

• Origin rationale: "Trust-based governance" — disproportionate criminal penalties (jail for minor procedural lapses) deterred entrepreneurship and clogged courts [S1].
• 2023 (Jan Vishwas 1.0): Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023 — decriminalised 183 provisions in 42 Central Acts.
• Aug 2025: Jan Vishwas 2.0 Bill introduced (17 Acts) → referred to Select Committee [S3].
• March 2026: Select Committee (Tejasvi Surya) recommended expanded coverage [S3].
• Apr 2026: Revised Bill cleared both Houses [S1][S3].

4. Core Static Facts

• Short title: Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026 [S1].
• Administering Ministry: Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry [S1][S2].
• Coverage: 784 provisions / 79 Central Acts / 23 Ministries [S1].
• Decriminalised provisions: 717; Amended for Ease of Living: 67 [S1].
• Key sectoral Acts amended (Health): Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940; Pharmacy Act, 1948; Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006; Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010; National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Act, 2021 [S1].
• Penalty escalation clause: Automatic 10% increase every 3 years in monetary penalties [S3].
• Adjudication architecture: Central/State-appointed adjudicating officers + appellate authorities; mandatory show-cause notice and personal hearing [S1][S3].
• Compliance-first design: Warnings for first/second violations; improvement notices under Legal Metrology Act, 2009 before penalty [S3].

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Economic

• Reduces compliance burden on MSMEs and start-ups by replacing jail terms with graded monetary penalties [S1].
• Aligns with India's Ease of Doing Business push; complements Jan Vishwas 2023 [S1].

Legal / Constitutional

• Uses Parliament's plenary legislative power to amend statutes administered by 23 different ministries through a single omnibus Bill.
• Retains criminal sanctions for serious offences affecting public health/safety — proportionality preserved [S1].
• Introduces a quasi-judicial adjudication mechanism (show-cause + appellate tier), reducing burden on regular criminal courts [S1][S3].

Administrative / Governance

• Embeds trust-based regulation: presumes compliance and uses warnings before sanctions [S3].
• Indexed penalty hike (10%/3 yrs) avoids repeated legislative amendments [S3].
• Restructures New Delhi municipal property tax and abolishes advertisement tax [S3].

Ethical / Governance

• Decriminalisation of minor procedural lapses addresses criminalisation-of-business critique.
• Risk: lowered deterrence if monetary penalty inadequate; mitigated by escalation clause.

6. Recent Developments (last 12-18 months)

• 18 Aug 2025: Jan Vishwas 2.0 Bill introduced (17 Acts) [S3].
• 13 Mar 2026: Select Committee (chair: Tejasvi Surya) report submitted [S3].
• 17 Mar 2026: 2025 Bill withdrawn [S3].
• 27 Mar 2026: Revised 2026 Bill introduced in Lok Sabha by Jitin Prasada [S3].
• 1 Apr 2026: Passed by Lok Sabha [S3].
• 2 Apr 2026: Passed by Rajya Sabha [S1][S3].

7. Prelims Hooks

• Jan Vishwas Bill 2026 amends 784 provisions in 79 Central Acts across 23 Ministries [S1].
• 717 provisions decriminalised, 67 amended for Ease of Living [S1].
• Piloted by Ministry of Commerce & Industry (DPIIT), not Ministry of Law [S2].
• Introduced in Lok Sabha by MoS Jitin Prasada on 27 March 2026 [S2].
• Select Committee on 2025 version chaired by Tejasvi Surya [S3].
• Penalties auto-escalate by 10% every 3 years [S3].
• Health-sector Acts amended include Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Pharmacy Act, 1948 [S1].
• Predecessor Jan Vishwas Act, 2023 decriminalised 183 provisions in 42 Acts.
• Improvement-notice mechanism added under Legal Metrology Act, 2009 [S3].
• Adjudicating officers appointed by Central and State Governments [S1].
• Cosmetics-related violations now attract ₹1 lakh civil penalty in lieu of imprisonment [S3].

8. Mains Relevance

• GS-II: Parliament & State legislatures; Government policies for various sectors; Statutory bodies.
• GS-III: Indian Economy — Ease of Doing Business; Government interventions in industrial growth.
• Possible question stems: 1. "Decriminalisation of minor economic offences is essential for trust-based governance but risks diluting regulatory deterrence." Examine with reference to the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026. 2. Discuss the adjudication mechanism introduced by the Jan Vishwas Bill, 2026 and its implications for separation of judicial functions. 3. Compare the scope of Jan Vishwas 2023 and Jan Vishwas 2026 in advancing Ease of Doing Business.

9. Related Topics to Study Next

• Jan Vishwas Act, 2023 — direct predecessor.
• Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 — wider criminal law overhaul, contrasting philosophy.
• Ease of Doing Business rankings & reforms — DPIIT, Business Reforms Action Plan.
• Legal Metrology Act, 2009 — directly amended; consumer protection link.
• Select Committees of Parliament — procedure, Tejasvi Surya panel as example.
• Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 & Food Safety Act, 2006 — health regulation reform.
• Companies Act 2013 decriminalisation (2019, 2020) — earlier sector-specific precedent.
• Subordinate legislation & delegated rule-making — adjudicating officer framework.

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

• Confusing 2023 Act (42 Acts/183 provisions) with 2026 Bill (79 Acts/784 provisions).
• Misattributing ministry — it is Commerce & Industry / DPIIT, NOT Ministry of Law & Justice or Home.
• Believing all offences are decriminalised — serious offences affecting public health/safety retain criminal sanction [S1].
• Confusing withdrawn 2025 Bill (17 Acts) with passed 2026 Bill (79 Acts) [S3].
• Assuming penalties are static — Bill mandates 10%/3-year auto-escalation [S3].

11. Sources

• [S1] Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Pass Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026 — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2248596 — (tier: 1)
• [S2] Jan Vishwas Bill 2026 introduced in Lok Sabha by Jitin Prasada — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2246226 — (tier: 1)
• [S3] The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026 — https://prsindia.org/billtrack/the-jan-vishwas-amendment-of-provisions-bill-2026 — (tier: 1)
• [S4] Jan Vishwas Bill 2026 — Rationalizing Compliance in Health Sector — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2248831 — (tier: 1)