Jan Vishwas Bill 2026 Shifts India to Trust-Based Governance, Says Arunachal CM Pema Khandu

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Friday threw his weight behind the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026, describing it as a landmark step toward trust-based governance that reduces excessive criminalisation and simplifies outdated laws.

Speaking through a series of posts on X, Khandu said the proposed legislation signals India's shift from a system driven by fear of penalties to one built on fairness, compliance, and trust between the state and its citizens.

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The Jan Vishwas Bill, 2026 introduces several significant procedural changes to how offences are handled under Indian law.

Key reforms include warnings before punishment for first-time defaults, proportionate penalties replacing blanket criminalisation, faster dispute resolution mechanisms, and a dynamic penalty framework designed to encourage responsible compliance rather than punish minor infractions.

The Bill also proposes converting several offences from criminal penalties to civil penalties and removing imprisonment provisions in multiple cases.

Khandu highlighted the sweeping scope of the proposed legislation, noting that it targets more than 1,000 offences for decriminalisation.

In total, 784 provisions across 79 Acts are being reformed, 717 business-related provisions are being simplified, and 67 citizen-centric reforms have been introduced under the Bill.

"From Rs 10 fines of 1871 to policies aligned with the realities of 2026, this is reform and this is New India," Khandu wrote in one of his posts.

The Bill builds on the original Jan Vishwas initiative launched in 2023, significantly expanding its reach across 23 central ministries.

Khandu described this as a major shift from "red tape to reform" — moving governance away from control-oriented frameworks toward a model that supports both citizens and businesses.

He noted that India has long carried the burden of colonial-era laws, and the new Bill aims to replace them with modern provisions that ensure balanced punishments and promote ease of living alongside ease of doing business.