New Delhi: The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025—aimed at decriminalising minor offences to promote ease of living and business—was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday and sent to a Select Committee.
Introducing the Bill, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said it seeks to promote trust-based governance and further strengthen the ease of doing business. The committee has been directed to submit its report on the first day of the next Parliament session.
The Bill was tabled amid protests by Opposition members, who demanded a debate on the revision of electoral rolls in Bihar and other issues, forcing adjournment of the House till 2 p.m.
The draft legislation proposes amendments to over 350 provisions, continuing the government’s push to improve India’s business environment. Earlier, the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023, had already decriminalised 183 provisions across 42 central laws under 19 ministries and departments. That law replaced imprisonment with fines or penalties in many cases, while in others it reduced punishment from imprisonment and fines to only monetary penalties.
