New Delhi, April 2 (IANS) In a significant legislative development, the Rajya Sabha on Thursday passed the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026, by voice vote, marking a major step towards simplifying regulations and promoting ease of doing business and ease of living in India.​

The Bill proposes to amend 79 central Acts administered by 23 Ministries. Out of 784 provisions targeted for change, 717 will be decriminalised to reduce unnecessary criminal liability on citizens and businesses, while 67 provisions will be amended to facilitate ease of living.

It also seeks to rationalise more than 1,000 offences by removing outdated and redundant provisions, thereby creating a more business-friendly and citizen-centric regulatory environment.​

Replying to the debate, Union Minister Piyush Goyal strongly defended the legislation. “This Bill will help common people, Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), the animal husbandry sector, and many others,” he said.

Goyal added that the government was correcting the shortcomings of the earlier version.

“The penalties included earlier were unfair in many cases. We have sought to correct it by increasing them wherever necessary.”

He further emphasised, “It was a colonial thought to punish everything. In Indian tradition, governance was based on trust rather than suspicion. This Bill moves from dand (punishment) to nyay (justice). Small mistakes should not lead to criminal prosecution.”​

The passage of the Jan Vishwas Bill came on the last scheduled day of the Budget Session. However, the government has decided not to adjourn the House sine die.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju announced that the Rajya Sabha will reconvene on April 16, 2026, for a short but crucial sitting.

The primary agenda for the reconvened session will be to discuss and debate proposed amendments to the Women’s Reservation Act, 2023 (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam), officially known as the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act.

The government aims to expedite the implementation of the landmark 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.​

Opposition parties, including Congress and AITC, have accused the government of rushing the process for electoral gains. AITC MP Mohammad Nadimul Haque sharply criticised the Jan Vishwas Bill during the debate: “One-fourth of the people in India earn less than Rs 171 per day. Who is this Jan Vishwas Bill actually for? If the government wants to learn about the ease of doing business, come to Bengal, we’ll teach you.”

Haque highlighted West Bengal’s achievements: “In the last 14 years, the number of registered companies has increased by 83 per cent. Nearly 93 lakh MSMEs operate in Bengal. Over one in three female entrepreneurs in the country comes from Bengal.”​

Congress leaders have also raised concerns that replacing imprisonment with fines in many provisions could weaken accountability.

One senior Congress MP stated during the debate, “By replacing criminal liability with fines, the government is creating a system where violations can simply be paid for, reducing judicial oversight.”​

The government, however, maintains that the Bill introduces graded penalties, warnings for first-time offences, and a trust-based approach without diluting serious offences.​

The upcoming discussion on Women’s Reservation amendments is expected to be intense, with opposition parties demanding an all-party meeting after the ongoing Assembly elections conclude. The government has already held consultations with nearly 80 per cent of political parties.​

With the Jan Vishwas Bill now passed by both Houses, it awaits presidential assent. The reconvening of Parliament on April 16 signals the government’s urgency to advance key reforms in women’s empowerment and regulatory simplification before the next major electoral cycle.​

–IANS

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