From Public Urination To Train Smoking: Jan Vishwas Bill 2026 May End Criminal Charges For These Acts

The Union government has moved to overhaul how India deals with a range of minor everyday offences, from public urination and unnecessary honking to smoking in metro coaches and even a pig wandering into a neighbour's garden.

Introduced in the Lok Sabha last week by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026 proposes to decriminalise at least 717 minor violations across 80 central laws, replacing criminal prosecution, arrest and possible jail terms with civil penalties, administrative adjudication and, in many cases, a warning-first approach.

Why the Jan Vishwas Bill 2026 matters

At present, several minor civic and regulatory violations continue to be treated as criminal offences under old laws, some carrying penalties that have barely changed for decades. In one example, if a pig strays out of its pen and damages a neighbour's kitchen garden, the owner can still face criminal proceedings and a fine of just ₹10, a punishment level dating back to 1871.

Likewise, a person urinating against a wall in Delhi can technically be booked under the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) Act, while someone smoking inside a metro coach commits a criminal offence under a law that still imposes a fine of only ₹250, unchanged since the 1980s.

The proposed legislation aims to change that by replacing criminal charges in such cases with modernised civil penalties. However, the Bill will become law only after it is passed by both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, and receives the President's assent.

Public nuisance in Delhi to shift from criminal offence to civil penalty

One of the notable changes concerns public nuisance under the NDMC Act. Under the current Section 308, "easing oneself" near a public street, a statutory phrase covering urination or defecation in public, is treated as a criminal offence. The same section also covers acts such as indecent exposure and improper disposal of "night soil" or faecal matter. These violations currently attract a fine of ₹50.

Under the new Bill, this framework is proposed to be restructured. Section 369 would be amended by replacing the word "punishable" with "liable to penalty" throughout, turning the offence into a civil violation rather than a criminal one. The act of "commission of nuisances" under Section 308 would now attract a ₹500 civil penalty.

A new Section 370 would introduce a warning-first mechanism for certain violations, requiring authorities to issue a notice before imposing a penalty. The Bill also removes Section 372, which earlier made some offences cognisable, meaning police could arrest without a warrant.

Smoking in Metro coaches, honking and noise violations get stricter penalties but no criminal record

The Bill also proposes major changes for offences committed in metro rail systems. Under the Calcutta Metro Railway (Operation and Maintenance) Temporary Provisions Act, 1985, which despite its name governs metro railways nationally, smoking in a compartment, carriage or underground station is currently a criminal offence with a maximum fine of ₹250.

The proposed law replaces this with a new section under which smoking in the metro would immediately invite a ₹2,000 penalty, along with compulsory forfeiture of the passenger's pass or ticket. The person may also be removed from the compartment. While the penalty becomes much steeper, the act would no longer be criminal from the outset and would instead be treated as a civil misdemeanour.

If the offender refuses to pay, only then would the matter be taken to a competent court, which may impose a fine ranging from ₹2,000 to ₹5,000.

The same graduated approach is proposed for noise-related offences under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. At present, Section 194F makes unnecessary or continuous honking, or honking in a silence zone, a criminal offence punishable with a fine of ₹1,000 for the first violation and ₹2,000 for repeat offences.

Under the new Bill, the first offence would not attract a fine or criminal consequences. Instead, "The first offence of noise pollution or honking would earn only a recorded warning in a format to be prescribed by the central government." Only on the second violation would a civil penalty of ₹1,000 to ₹2,000 apply.

A similar principle would apply to Section 190(2)(ii), under which vehicles violating noise pollution standards would get a warning for the first offence and a civil penalty of up to ₹10,000 only if the violation is repeated.

Animal-related street violations and railway begging laws to be recast

In New Delhi, certain animal-related offences currently continue to be treated as criminal matters. Milking cattle or tethering animals in public streets can lead to a criminal case and a fine of ₹100, along with a continuing daily fine of ₹5 if the violation persists.

The Bill proposes to convert this into a civil offence. The revised penalty would be ₹1,000, and a warning would have to be issued first. Authorities would still retain the power to impound the animals, but the process would no longer require a magistrate's court.

Similarly, keeping a "ferocious dog" unmuzzled in a Delhi public street would move from being a criminal offence with a police or court record to a ₹1,000 civil penalty.

The Railways Act, 1989 is also set for major changes. Under the existing Section 144, both begging and unlicensed hawking inside railway coaches or stations are criminal offences punishable with up to one year of imprisonment, or a fine of up to ₹2,000, or both.

The Bill substitutes this section entirely. Under the new proposal, unlicensed hawking would attract a flat ₹2,000 civil penalty, while begging would attract a ₹1,000 civil penalty and removal from the train. Courts would step in only if the person refuses to pay the fine.

Street performances and driving without insurance also see major changes

The Bill also touches the Delhi Police Act, 1978, especially provisions dealing with street performances that draw crowds and obstruct public movement. Under the existing law, exhibiting mimetic, musical or other performances without proper permission could trigger criminal proceedings, including cognisable provisions in some cases.

The new Bill removes more than half a dozen related sections. The remaining legal structure under a newly proposed provision would set the penalty at ₹100. Only if the person fails to pay could imprisonment follow, and even then, it would be limited to up to eight days. In other words, imprisonment would become a default-of-payment mechanism rather than the primary punishment.

Among the most significant changes is the proposed amendment to the Motor Vehicles Act on driving without valid third-party insurance. Currently, driving without insurance can lead to up to three months' imprisonment, or a fine of ₹2,000, or both, for the first offence. Repeat violations can bring the same imprisonment plus a ₹4,000 fine.

The Bill removes imprisonment altogether. Instead, the first offence would attract a penalty equal to three times the base insurance premium for that class of vehicle, or ₹5,000, whichever is higher. For repeat offences, the penalty would rise to five times the base premium, or ₹10,000, whichever is higher.

The broader idea behind the reform

Taken together, the proposed amendments reflect a larger shift in the government's regulatory thinking. The central idea is that many minor civic or procedural violations should not automatically lead to FIRs, criminal prosecution, court appearances and the possibility of jail, especially when such responses are disproportionate to the nature of the offence.

Instead, the Jan Vishwas Bill 2026 seeks to move towards civil penalties, designated adjudicating officers and a warning-first model in many cases. Criminal prosecution and court intervention would largely be reserved for those who wilfully refuse to comply or fail to pay the prescribed penalties.

As stated in the Bill's Statement of Objects and Reasons, the intention is to make India's regulatory framework "predictable, transparent and fair".