Delhi Govt approves Jan Vishwas Bill
The Delhi Government has approved the Delhi Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill 2025, with Chief Minister Rekha Gupta saying the move aims to simplify compliance, decriminalise minor offences, ease the burden on courts and improve administrative efficiency. The Government plans to table the Bill in the upcoming winter session of the Delhi Legislative Assembly. If passed, the amendments will come into force through
notifications issued by the concerned departments.
The move will help to reduce litigation, lighten the court’s workload, and simplify compliance for businesses and citizens. The bill mirrors the Centre’s Jan Vishwas initiative, under which minor offences in central laws were decriminalised in 2023 and 2025.
Under these statutes, minor offences will be converted into civil penalties. The Bill also creates an appellate mechanism to ensure due process and fairness. Officials said the framework balances compliance with accountability.
The Bill proposes amendments to seven Delhi laws. These include the Delhi Industrial Development, Operation and Maintenance Act, 2010; the Delhi Shops and Establishments Act, 1954; the NCT of Delhi ‘Incredible India’ Bed and Breakfast Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2007; the Delhi Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation) Act, 1998; the Delhi Jal Board Act, 1998; the Delhi Professional Colleges/Institutions Act, 2007; and the Delhi Diploma-Level Technical Education Institutions Act, 2007.
The legislation includes a provision for an automatic 10 per cent increase in fines every three years. The aim is to keep penalties effective over time and aligned with inflation. The Government said the Bill will not impose any additional financial burden on the exchequer. It will be implemented using existing staff and systems, and the Finance Department has raised no objections.
After the Cabinet approval, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the intent is not to dilute discipline but to ensure fairness. “Proportionality in punishment matters,” she said, adding that criminal law should be reserved for serious wrongdoing, not minor errors. With the Cabinet clearance, Delhi joins a growing list of states aligning local laws with the Centre’s decriminalisation push. The Government said further reviews of State regulations may follow to identify additional areas for simplification.
The Government said the objective is to improve Ease of Doing Business and Ease of Living without weakening enforcement. Serious offences that affect public health, safety or life will continue to attract strict punishment. Only minor, technical and procedural violations will move out of the criminal category. According to the Chief Minister, the change will help unclog courts and make administration more efficient. Criminal cases for routine lapses often consume time and resources, she said, while civil penalties offer a faster and more practical remedy.
The Chief Minister stated that the Bill replaces criminal penalties for minor procedural lapses with civil fines and administrative actions and her Government Delhi reviewed its statutes in line with that guidance and identified areas where criminal prosecution was disproportionate to the offence. Officials said the reform is expected to benefit small traders, shop owners, start-ups, hospitality operators, educational institutions and utilities by reducing fear of criminal action for routine lapses. It is also expected to improve compliance by making penalties predictable and proportionate.
