DPIIT may decriminalise different provisions related to minor offences

The commerce and industry ministry is framing a law to decriminalise all provisions related to minor offences with an aim to promote ease of doing business in the country, a senior official said.

Work is at an advanced stage for framing the ease of doing business and ease of living bill and the ministry is targeting to introduce it in the winter session of parliament, the official said.

"We are making an Act. We are bringing one bill and that one bill seeks to decriminalise all the minor offences mentioned in different Acts. We are having consultations with all the departments on the bill. We will bring a common Act for decriminalisation. Basically replacing imprisonment and fine with penalties, and rationalisation. For minor offences, there should be no jail. Instead, there should be a penalty," the official added.

Citing some examples, the official said at present there are jail terms for small offences like not doing whitewash in washroom and canteen.

The effort is aimed at decriminalising minor offences, and trivial procedural violations, by one law.

Several provisions have been identified across different laws of the central and state governments which need decriminalisation. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) is piloting the bill.

DPIIT has already taken several measures to promote ease of dosing business and reduce compliance burden both for the industry and citizens.

The government has either removed or simplified or rationalised over 30,000 compliances.

A big exercise was carried out by the central ministries and states/UTs to reduce compliance burden and the aim of this exercise is to simplify, decriminalise and remove redundant laws.

DPIIT is closely engaged with states/UTs and ministries to improve the regulatory and governance model across the country. It has held national workshops on reducing compliance burden.