Jan Vishwas Bill 2026 Decriminalises 717 Provisions Across 79 Laws, Eases Compliance in Health Sector
A central feature of the bill is the replacement of imprisonment with graded monetary penalties for minor procedural violations, while retaining stringent provisions for serious offences affecting public safety.
Adjudication mechanism introduced to cut litigation; over 1,000 offences rationalised
New Delhi: The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026, passed by Parliament, introduces wide-ranging reforms across multiple legislations, with a strong focus on decriminalising minor offences and simplifying compliance, particularly in the health sector, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said in a statement on Friday.
The legislation amends 784 provisions across 79 Central Acts administered by 23 ministries, of which 717 provisions have been decriminalised to promote ease of doing business, while 67 provisions have been revised to improve ease of living. Overall, the bill seeks to rationalise more than 1,000 offences by removing minor criminal liabilities and replacing them with civil penalties, marking a shift towards a trust-based regulatory framework.
The amendments cover key health-related legislations, including the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, the Pharmacy Act, 1948, the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010, and the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Act, 2021. The reforms aim to simplify compliance while maintaining safeguards for public health.
A central feature of the bill is the replacement of imprisonment with graded monetary penalties for minor procedural violations, while retaining stringent provisions for serious offences affecting public safety. In the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, several provisions have been amended to introduce structured adjudication mechanisms, allowing minor violations, such as documentation lapses in cosmetics, to be resolved through civil penalties without court intervention.
For the first time, the framework provides for the appointment of adjudicating authorities by central and state governments, along with a defined process involving issuance of show cause notices, personal hearings, and an appellate mechanism. This is expected to reduce the burden on courts, minimise prolonged litigation, and enable faster resolution of compliance-related issues.
The reforms also extend to the Pharmacy Act, where penalty provisions have been modernised, and to the Food Safety and Standards Act, where enforcement mechanisms have been streamlined to ensure proportional penalties. Similarly, amendments to the Clinical Establishments Act emphasise monetary penalties in cases that do not pose immediate risks to patient safety, encouraging corrective action without resorting to criminal proceedings.
The government said the alignment of reforms across multiple legislations reflects a coherent approach to harmonising regulatory frameworks, reducing compliance complexity, and improving clarity for stakeholders across the health sector. The involvement of 23 ministries underscores a coordinated effort to strengthen ease of doing business and ease of living, while continuing to safeguard public interest.
