J&K Assembly Passes Jan Vishwas Amendment Bill 2026 to Decriminalize Minor Offenses and Boost Ease of Doing Business
JAMMU, April 04, 2026 — In a landmark legislative move aimed at reforming the regulatory landscape of the Union Territory, the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly today officially passed the Jammu and Kashmir Jan Vishwas Second (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026 (L.A. Bill No. 07 of 2026).
The Bill was moved for consideration by the Minister for Agriculture, Javid Ahmed Dar, on behalf of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, marking a significant step toward administrative modernization.
The primary objective of this legislation is to decriminalize and rationalize a wide range of minor offenses across various enactments, thereby reducing the compliance burden on citizens and fostering a more investor-friendly environment.
During the proceedings, Minister Dar emphasized that the Bill is designed to enhance both the “ease of living” for the general public and the “ease of doing business” for entrepreneurs by replacing criminal penalties with civil fines for technical or procedural lapses.
By repealing outdated enactments and refining existing laws, the government aims to prevent the unnecessary harassment of individuals and businesses, ensuring that the legal system focuses on serious crimes rather than minor regulatory infractions.
The motion for consideration was met with constructive debate from the treasury and opposition benches alike.The passage of the Bill followed a collaborative session where several members, including Nizam-ud-din Bhat, Balwant Singh Mankotia, Pirzada Farooq Ahmad Shah, and Tanvir Sadiq, participated in the legislative process.
Although these members had initially proposed various amendments to the Bill, they ultimately chose to withdraw them following detailed assurances from the Minister regarding the balanced implementation of the new provisions.
With the Speaker’s final approval and the House’s consensus, the Jan Vishwas Bill is now set to streamline the legal framework of Jammu and Kashmir, aligning it with national standards of judicial and administrative reform.