New Delhi: Drawing inspiration from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Delhi Cabinet has approved the Delhi Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026, to decriminalise minor offences and promote Ease of Doing Business and Ease of Living, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Wednesday.
Chief Minister Gupta said that the Bill, passed by the Delhi Cabinet, aims to simplify compliance procedures and decriminalise minor violations, thereby reducing the burden on courts and making the administrative machinery more effective.
The Chief Minister added that the Bill is in line with the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023/2025, implemented by the Central Government, under which minor offences in Central laws were decriminalised.
Elaborating on the Bill, the Chief Minister said that through this legislation, the Delhi government is fully committed to promoting Ease of Doing Business and Ease of Living.
She noted that under the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act implemented by the Central Government in 2023, minor, technical and procedural violations in Central laws were removed from the category of criminal offences.
In line with this, States and Union Territories were advised to review their respective laws. Acting on this guidance, the Delhi Government undertook a comprehensive review of various State laws and found that in many cases, civil penalties are more appropriate and practical than criminal punishment.
The Chief Minister made it clear that the Bill is not intended to encourage lawlessness, but to ensure proportionality in punishment.
With the implementation of the Bill, criminal proceedings for minor, technical and procedural violations will be discontinued and replaced with civil penalties, administrative fines and an appellate mechanism, she said.
Stringent provisions relating to serious offences, public health, safety and matters affecting life will remain unchanged. This will reduce the burden of cases on courts and enhance administrative efficiency.
The Chief Minister informed that the following Acts have been brought within the ambit of the Bill: Delhi Industrial Development, Operation and Maintenance Act, 2010; Delhi Shops and Establishments Act, 1954; National Capital Territory of Delhi ‘Incredible India’ Bed and Breakfast Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2007; Delhi Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation) Act, 1998; Delhi Jal Board Act, 1998; Delhi Professional Colleges/Institutions Act, 2007 and Delhi Diploma-Level Technical Education Institutions Act, 2007.
Under all these Acts, it is proposed to decriminalise minor offences and convert them into civil penalties.
The Bill also proposes an automatic 10 per cent increase in the amount of fines every three years after its implementation, so that penalties remain effective in line with inflation and rising costs.
The Chief Minister stated that the Bill will not impose any additional financial burden on the Government, will not require the creation of any new posts, and will be implemented using existing departmental resources.
The Finance Department has not objected to the proposal. She further informed that the Bill will be passed in the upcoming winter session of the Delhi Legislative Assembly.
(IANS)
