Odisha Assembly Passes ‘Jan Vishwas’ Bill To Decriminalise Minor Offences, Ease Business Rules
Amendment to 16 state laws replaces jail terms with civil penalties, aims to boost investment and trust-based governance
Bhubaneswar: After hours of deliberations, the Odisha Legislative Assembly on Tuesday passed the Odisha Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025, marking a major reform aimed at reducing regulatory burden and fostering a more business-friendly environment in the state by decriminalising minor offences across multiple statutes.
Modelled on the Centre’s Jan Vishwas Act, 2023, and the subsequent Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025, the state legislation seeks to replace punitive criminal provisions with civil penalties in cases of minor and procedural violations. The move is designed to promote a trust-based governance framework while improving the ease of doing business.
The Bill, which was introduced in the Assembly by industries minister Sampad Chandra Swain on Monday, proposes amendments to 16 existing state laws, including the Odisha Nurses and Midwives Registration Act, 1938, and the Odisha Municipal Act, 1950. Under the revised framework, six minor offences punishable with imprisonment will be converted into civil violations, substituting jail terms with financial penalties.
Officials said the reform would significantly reduce compliance pressure on citizens, entrepreneurs, and small businesses who often face legal hurdles for technical or minor lapses. “The objective is to move away from a criminal enforcement mindset towards administrative and civil remedies,” a senior government official noted.
Among the key measures, the Bill provides for the establishment of administrative courts to ensure swift adjudication of minor cases. It also converts existing fines into structured civil penalties, a shift aimed at encouraging voluntary compliance rather than punishment. Additionally, the law introduces rationalisation of financial penalties, ensuring consistency and timely revision of amounts to maintain fairness and proportionality.
The state government expects the reform to help lower litigation costs, unclog courts, and create a more predictable regulatory environment—key factors seen as vital to attracting private investment. The emphasis on procedural relief and reduced criminalisation is also expected to be particularly beneficial to small enterprises and professionals.
Several other states, including Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, and Tripura, have already enacted similar Jan Vishwas legislation as part of a national push toward regulatory simplification.
At the Centre, the Jan Vishwas initiative was launched to eliminate or dilute imprisonment provisions for minor violations, replacing them with proportionate civil penalties to promote compliance without criminal culpability. Odisha’s adoption of this framework aligns the state with the broader reform agenda aimed at improving the business climate while strengthening citizen trust in governance.
With the new law in place, the Odisha government hopes to project the state as a more investor-friendly destination, signalling a shift toward streamlined regulations, reduced legal fear, and improved ease of compliance.
