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'No courtroom for 50 million minor cases', says Piyush Goyal; urges closure after Jan Vishwas Amendment Bill
India is tackling its overloaded courts by decriminalizing minor offenses. The Jan Vishwas Bill aims to clear millions of pending cases. This move will simplify business, reduce harassment, and free up judicial resources. The government encourages states to adopt similar measures. This initiative promises a more efficient legal system for all.
New Delhi: Commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal said India’s judicial system is clogged with about 50 million pending cases relating to minor offences, most of which should have never gone to the courts. He was speaking a day after parliament passed the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026, to decriminalise and rationalise about 1,000 minor offences.
The government is open to more suggestions on reviewing laws at the central government level, Goyal said.
Also Read | Lok Sabha passes Jan Vishwas amendment bill
“We hope that these all can be resolved by the prosecutors by asking the courts to just close them on the basis of the new provisions so that a big relief can be given to past cases,” Goyal said on Friday. “It will be our request to the courts to take decision on those minor offences and end that.”
Parliament passed the bill on Thursday, amending 784 provisions in 79 central laws for decriminalising and rationalising about 1,000 minor offences.
‘Source of Harassment'
The move was aimed at further improving the business environment and curbing harassment of people.“These 1,000 sections in some way or the other, some place or the other, nationally, regionally, were a source of uncertainty, source of potential rent seeking and harassment. We have removed all of that,” the minister said.
The first edition of the law was implemented in 2023 to promote ease of business by decriminalising minor offences through amendments in 183 provisions of 42 Acts.
Also Read | In Graphics: Key changes in Jan Vishwas 2.0
The commerce and industry ministry wants all departments to consider withdrawing court cases involving minor offences in light of the Jan Vishwas amendment bill, as such a move would significantly reduce the load on the judiciary and promote ease of living.
“Because of the changes which are coming up in the law, there is a greater case that in all these provisions, a review can be taken up,” said Amardeep Singh Bhatia, secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). “We will also be taking up with the law ministry and work out how it can be conveyed to the concerned departments… There is a general advisory which is already there to review all pending cases and wherever the departments feel that they need to be withdrawn as they are not very critical offences, they can file with the court to withdraw that.”
According to Goyal, 12 states have drawn up their own versions of the Jan Vishwas legislation to decriminalise infractions in their jurisdictions.
“I would encourage the rest of the states to follow suit and consider decriminalising petty offences,” he said, adding that municipal bodies in other states would take the cue from these proposed changes and amend their laws.
Bhatia said penalties have been prescribed only for the first offence of violating standards of air pollution, when it comes to vehicular emissions, but driving licences will be suspended for three months and stricter provisions will apply for subsequent breaches.
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Source: EconomicTimes
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