THE JAN VISHWAS (AMENDMENT OF PROVISIONS) ACT, 2026

REGISTERED NO. DL—(N)04/0007/2003—26 The Gazette of India EXTRAORDINARY PART II — Section 1 PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY No. 13] NEW DELHI, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 08, 2026/CHAITRA 18, 1948 (Saka) Separate paging is given to this Part in order that it may be filed as a separate compilation. CG-DL-E-08042026-271642 MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE (Legislative Department) New Delhi, the 8th April, 2026/Chaitra 18, 1948 (Saka) The Following Act of Parliament received the assent of the President on the 7th April, 2026 and is hereby published for general information:— THE JAN VISHWAS (AMENDMENT OF PROVISIONS) ACT, 2026 NO. 8 OF 2026 [7th April, 2026.] An Act to amend certain enactments for descriminalising and rationalising offences to further enhance trust-based governance for ease of living and doing business. THE JAN VISHWAS (AMENDMENT OF PROVISIONS) BILL, 2026 (AS PASSED BY THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT) A BILL to amend certain enactments for decriminalising and rationalising offences to further enhance trust-based governance for ease of living and doing business. BE it enacted by Parliament in the Seventy-seventh Year of the Republic of India as follows:— 1. (1) This Act may be called the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026. (2) It shall come into force on such date as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint; and different dates may be appointed for amendments relating to different enactments mentioned in the Schedule. Short title and commencement. Amendment of certain enactments. Revision of fines and penalties. Savings. Power to remove difficulties. 2. The enactments mentioned in column (4) of the Schedule are hereby amended to the extent and in the manner mentioned in column (5) thereof. 3. The fines and penalties provided under various provisions in the enactments mentioned in the Schedule shall be increased by ten per cent. of the minimum amount of fine or penalty, as the case may be, prescribed therefor, after the expiry of every three years from the date of commencement of this Act: Provided that notwithstanding anything contained in this section, if any enactment mentioned in the Schedule provides the manner of revision of fines and penalties therein, only the said provision shall be applicable for increase of fines and penalties for provisions of such enactment. 4. The amendment or repeal by this Act of any enactment shall not affect any other enactment in which the amended or repealed enactment has been applied, incorporated or referred to; and this Act shall not affect the validity, invalidity, effect or consequences of anything already done or suffered, or any right, title, obligation or liability already acquired, accrued or incurred or any remedy or proceeding in respect thereof, or any release or discharge of, or from any debt, penalty, obligation, liability, claim or demand, or any indemnity already granted, or the proof of any past act or thing; nor shall this Act affect any principle or rule of law, or established jurisdiction, form or course of pleading, practice or procedure, or existing usage, custom, privilege, restriction, exemption, office or appointment, despite the fact that the same respectively may have been in any manner affirmed, or recognised or derived by, in or from any enactment hereby amended or repealed; nor shall this Act affect any jurisdiction, office, custom, liability, right, title, privilege, restriction, exemption, usage, practice, procedure or other matter or thing not now existing or in force. 5. (1) If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the provisions of different enactments mentioned in the Schedule as amended by this Act, the Central Government may, by order published in the Official Gazette, make such provisions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the enactments as amended by this Act, as appear to it to be necessary or expedient for removing the difficulty: Provided that no such order shall be made after the expiry of a period of two years from the date of commencement of this Act. (2) Every order made under sub-section (1) shall, as soon as may be after it is made, be laid before each House of Parliament. THE SCHEDULE (See section 2) +-------+------+-----+------------------------------------+ | Sl. No. | Year | No. | Short title | +=======+======+=====+====================================+ | 1. | 1870 | 7 | The Court-fees Act, 1870 | +-------+------+-----+------------------------------------+ Amendments: (A) In section 34, for sub-section (3), the following sub-section shall be substituted, namely:–– “(3) Any person appointed to sell stamps, who,–– (a) with fraudulent intent, disobeys any rule made under this section, or sells or offers for sale any stamp without being duly appointed, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to ten thousand rupees, or with both; (b) without any fraudulent intent, contravenes any rule made under this section, shall be liable to penalty not exceeding ten thousand rupees.”. (B) After section 34, the following sections shall be inserted, namely:–– “34A. Adjudication of penalties.––(1) For the purpose of adjudicating penalties under clause (b) of sub-section (3) of section 34, the Administrator of the Union territory concerned may appoint an officer not below the rank of Deputy Commissioner or Deputy Collector or any officer equivalent in rank as an adjudicating officer for holding an inquiry and imposing penalties: Provided that the Administrator of the Union territory concerned may appoint as many adjudicating officers as may be required. (2) The adjudicating officer may summon and enforce the attendance of any person acquainted with the facts and circumstances of the case to give evidence or to produce any document, which in the opinion of the adjudicating officer may be useful for, or relevant to, the subject-matter of the inquiry, and if, on such inquiry, is satisfied that the person concerned has contravened any rule made under sub-section (1) of section 34, he may impose penalty as deemed fit, subject to the amount mentioned under clause (b) of sub-section (3) of the said section: Provided that no such penalty shall be imposed without giving the person concerned a reasonable opportunity of being heard. 34B. Appeal.––(1) Whoever aggrieved by an order of the adjudicating officer under section 34A may, within thirty days from the date of receipt of such order, prefer an appeal to the Commissioner or Collector of the Division or before any officer equivalent in rank designated as such by the Administrator of the Union territory concerned as an appellate authority. (2) An appeal may be admitted after the expiry of the period of thirty days, if the appellant satisfies the appellate authority that he had sufficient cause for not preferring the appeal within that period. (3) The appellate authority may, after giving the parties to the appeal an opportunity of being heard, pass such order as he may think fit. (4) An appeal under sub-section (1) shall be disposed of within sixty days from the date of filing. (5) If penalty imposed by the adjudicating officer under sub-section (1) of section 34A or by an order of the appellate authority under sub-section (3) of this section, as the case may be, is not deposited, the amount shall be recovered as an arrear of land revenue.”. +-------+------+-----+------------------------------------+ | 2. | 1871 | 1 | The Cattle-trespass Act, 1871 | +-------+------+-----+------------------------------------+ Amendments: (A) For section 3, the following section shall be substituted, namely:— ‘3. Definitions.—In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,–– (a) “adjudicating officer” means the Sub-Divisional Magistrate or any other Executive Magistrate authorised by the State Government or the Union territory administration, as the case may be; (b) “appellate authority” means the District Magistrate or the Additional District Magistrate authorised by the State Government or the Union territory administration, as the case may be; (c) “cattle” includes also camels, buffaloes, horses, mares, geldings, ponies, colts, fillies, mules, asses, pigs, rams, ewes, sheep, lambs, goats and kids; (d) “local authority” means Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Municipality, Cantonment Board, Notified Area Committee, Gram Panchayat or any other authority for the time being vested by law with the control and administration of any matters within a specified local area; and (e) “officer of police” also includes village-watchman.’. (B) In section 6, for the words, “the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860)”, the words, brackets and figures “clause (28) of section 2 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (45 of 2023)” shall be substituted. (C) In section 8, in clause (a), for the word “animals”, the word “cattle” shall be substituted. (D) For section 12, the following section shall be substituted, namely:–– “12. Penalties for cattle impounded.—(1) For every head of cattle impounded as aforesaid, the pound-keepers shall impose penalty in accordance with the scale for the time being prescribed by the State Government in this behalf by notification in the Official Gazette and different scales may be prescribed for different local areas. (2) All penalties so imposed shall be deposited with the Magistrate of the District through such officer as the State Government may direct. (3) A list showing the penalties and the rates of charge for feeding and watering cattle shall be posted in a conspicuous place on or near to every pound.”. (E) In section 13,–– (i) in the marginal heading, for the word “fines”, the word “penalties” shall be substituted; (ii) for the words “payment of the fines”, the words “payment of penalties imposed” shall be substituted. (F) In section 15,–– (i) for the words “appear and refuse to pay the said fines and expenses”, the words “appears and refuses to pay the said penalties and expenses” shall be substituted; (ii) for the words