The government on Friday introduced the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026 in Lok Sabha, which seeks to amend 79 Central Acts administered by 23 ministries to promote ease of doing business and ease of living.
Through these amendments, the government proposes to amend 784 provisions across various laws, decriminalising 717 provisions to foster Ease of Doing Business and amending 67 provisions to facilitate Ease of Living.
From Prison to Penalties
Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada said the Bill will implement measures such as revising fines and penalties proportionate to the offence, establishing adjudicating officers and setting up appellate authorities.
The Bill was first introduced in Lok Sabha in August last year and was referred to the Select Committee. The previous version of the Bill proposed amendment in a total of 355 provisions in 16 Central Acts administered by 10 ministries and departments. After examination by the Select Committee its scope was widened to amend 70 central acts.
The key laws that the bill seeks to amend include Reserve Bank of India Act, Life Insurance Corporation Act, Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Act, Drugs and Cosmetic Act, Food Safety and Standards Act, Clinical Establishments Act, Motor Vehicles Act and Indian Succession Act. The laws dealing with real estate, coal, mining, shipping, petroleum, power, railways, copyright and patents would also be amended through the bill.
This second Jan Vishwas Bill builds on the success of the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023 — the first consolidated legislation to systematically decriminalise minor offences across multiple Acts. The 2023 Act, notified on 11th August 2023, decriminalised 183 provisions in 42 Central Acts administered by 19 Ministries and Departments.
The Bill introduced on Friday will add a new sub-section in the RBI Act applicable only to Non-Banking Financial Companies. If any nonbanking financial company fails to produce any book, account or other document, or fails to furnish any statement, information or particulars under the Act, the RBI will have the power to impose a penalty. The penalty shall not exceed Rs 1 lakh in respect of each offence. If the NBFC persists in such failure or refusal, a further penalty not exceeding Rs 5,000 for every can be imposed.
Other additions in different acts through the bill deal with the appointment of adjudicating officers.
Everyday Impact
For ease of living the Bill seeks to make 20 changes in the Motor Vehicles Act. Through these changes vehicle registration is proposed to be allowed throughout the state instead of the particular jurisdiction in which the owner has a place of residence or business.
The amendments also seek to provide a grace period of thirty days after the expiry of a licence, during which the licence shall continue to be effective and allow driving licenses to be renewed with effect from the date of renewal, not the date of expiry, if applied after expiry. The time period for reporting cancellation of vehicle registration and for intimating the insurer regarding transfer in the certificate of insurance would be increased to 30 days from 14 days. It will also empower claims tribunals to condone a delay in filing an application for compensation for a period of 12 months.
In total imprisonment and fines are proposed to be removed in 57 provisions. Fine is proposed to be removed in 158 provisions and imprisonment removed in 29 provisions;
In 17 provisions of different Acts, imprisonment is proposed to be reduced. Imprisonment and fine are proposed to be converted to a penalty in 113 provisions and fine is proposed to be converted to a penalty in 317 provisions.