The story so far:

Unnecessary criminalisation is an anathema to business regulations. India’s regulatory framework has significant punitive aspects. Under dozens of Central Acts, minor procedural lapses, missed filings, or technical defaults could land a citizen or a small business owner in jail. The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025-26, seeks to shift India’s regulatory approach from a punitive model to “trust-based governance.” It builds on the earlier Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023, which decriminalised 183 provisions across 42 Central laws.