The Lok Sabha recently passed the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2023. This bill seeks to decriminalise minor offences by amending 183 provisions in 42 acts. The primary objective is to allow the judiciary to focus on more serious cases while also promoting ease of living and doing business reforms in the country. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal emphasised that the Modi Government has already simplified or removed 40,000 provisions and procedures over the last nine years to improve the lives of Indian citizens.
Key Highlights of the Jan Vishwas Bill
The Jan Vishwas Bill encompasses amendments to 42 acts under 19 ministries, including significant laws like the Press and Registration of Books Act of 1867, Indian Forest Act of 1927, Public Liability Insurance Act of 1991, Information Technology Act of 2000, Copyright Act of 1957, Drugs and Cosmetics Act of 1940, Public Debt Act of 1944, and the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988.
The main thrust of the bill is the conversion of several fines into penalties, thereby eliminating the need for criminal prosecution for administering punishments. Furthermore, in certain acts, such as the Post Office Act of 1898, all offences have been removed. The bill also increases fines and penalties for specific offences by 10% of the minimum amount every three years.
To streamline the process, the bill mandates the appointment of an adjudicating officer to decide penalties for certain acts.
Significance and Objectives of the Bill
The Jan Vishwas Amendment Bill aims to redefine India’s regulatory landscape with a focus on ease of living and ease of doing business reforms. The goal is to create a business-friendly environment that attracts both domestic and foreign investment. By decriminalizing minor infractions, the bill intends to reduce the burden on the courts, allowing them to prioritize more serious offences and deliver justice more efficiently.
The bill’s comprehensive approach seeks to save time, money, and effort for all stakeholders involved, including companies, citizens, the judiciary, and the government. Ultimately, it contributes to the principles of ‘minimum government, maximum governance’ and fosters a “trust-based governance” environment.
Ease of Doing Business
Previously, the World Bank used to provide an Ease of Doing Business Index, which measured business regulations and conditions in different countries. However, the World Bank discontinued this report from 2021 due to serious discrepancies and indications of manipulation in the scoring and ranking process.
India’s last ranking on the Ease of Doing Business list was 62 out of over 190 countries in 2019. The country had shown significant improvements over the years, and while the report was discontinued, it is presumed that India would have continued to make strides in the ranking if the index had continued.
