Jan Vishwas 2.0 is all about trust-based compliance

The passage of the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026 by Parliament reflects a conscious and forward-looking policy choice by the Government of India to recalibrate the balance between enforcement and facilitation, and to embed trust as a central pillar of the regulatory framework. The reform signals a clear departure from over-reliance on criminal sanctions toward a more proportionate, predictable, and facilitative approach to compliance.

In recent years, the decriminalisation of minor business-related offences has emerged as a core element of India’s reform agenda. The underlying objective has been consistent: to rationalise compliance requirements, enhance ease of doing business and foster a regulatory culture that promotes voluntary compliance rather than fear-driven adherence. Excessive criminalisation of technical and procedural lapses had created compliance anxiety, discouraged entrepreneurship, and diverted administrative and judicial resources from more serious violations.