Jan Vishwas Introduces Stiff Penalties in Place of Non-Enforced Jail
Terms
1.
Core Objective
o
Shift from criminal penalties to civil penalties
for minor procedural violations.
o
Promote trust-based governance instead of
punitive regulation.
2.
Wide Legislative Coverage
o
Amendments proposed in 79 Central Acts
across 23 Ministries.
o
Covers 784 provisions, including 717 for
decriminalisation.
3.
Continuation of Reform Journey
o
Builds on Jan Vishwas Act, 2023, which
decriminalised 183 provisions.
o
Expanded after Parliamentary committee review and
consultations.
4.
Four Key Pillars
o
Warning before punishment
o
Proportionate penalties
o
Faster dispute resolution
o
Dynamic penalty framework
5.
End of Criminalisation for Minor Lapses
o
Small errors (missed filings, paperwork issues) no
longer lead to imprisonment.
o
Focus on compliance over punishment.
6.
Citizen-Centric Reforms
o
Minor offences converted to civil penalties:
§ Railway
berth disputes → ₹1,000 penalty
§ Smoking
in metro → ₹2,000 penalty
§ Clinic
deficiencies → ₹10,000 penalty
o
Eliminates unnecessary criminal cases in daily
life.
7.
Ease of Living Improvements
o
30-day grace period for
driving licence renewal
o
Public water misuse →
civil penalty (₹1,000)
o
Night movement no longer criminalised (Delhi
Police Act reform)
o
More time for accident compensation claims
8.
Simplification of Urban & Municipal Laws
o
NDMC property tax system standardized
o
Minor civic violations converted to civil penalties
9.
Ease of Doing Business
o
Businesses protected from criminal prosecution for
minor non-compliance
o
Encourages voluntary compliance
10.
Graded Enforcement Mechanism
·
Step-by-step approach:
o
Advisory → Warning → Penalty
·
Reduces regulatory fear and harassment
11.
Support for MSMEs
·
First-time mistakes get opportunity to rectify
·
Removal of outdated compliance burdens
·
Reduction in penalties for procedural lapses
12.
Sector-Specific Reforms
·
Changes in laws like:
o
Copyright Act
o
Tea Act
o
APEDA Act
o
Coir Industry Act
·
Focus on reducing compliance burden in trade &
exports
13.
Removal of Outdated Laws
·
Obsolete provisions eliminated (e.g., licensing
requirements in coir exports).
14.
Administrative & Faster Dispute Resolution
·
Dedicated adjudicating officers
·
Reduced burden on courts
15.
Balanced Regulatory Framework
·
Serious violations still attract strict penalties
·
Minor issues handled through administrative means
16.
Overall Impact
·
Moves India toward a modern, business-friendly
legal system
·
Enhances both:
o
Ease of Living
o
Ease of Doing Business