Gujarat to Decriminalise Minor Offences for Business Growth

Ahmedabad, Sep 4 (PTI) - The Gujarat government is gearing up to introduce a significant bill aimed at decriminalising certain offences. This initiative is designed to foster a trust-based governance system and enhance the ease of doing business, according to a statement by the state's Parliamentary and Legislative Affairs Minister, Rushikesh Patel.

The bill, which aims to simplify regulations and alleviate the burden on courts, was announced by Patel in Gandhinagar on Wednesday. During the forthcoming monsoon session of the legislative assembly, scheduled in Gandhinagar from September 8 to 10, the government plans to present 'The Gujarat Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill.' This will propose amendments to provisions in 11 existing acts.

Five bills in total, including the Jan Vishwas Bill, are set to be tabled for discussion and approval. "Our objective is to simplify rules and regulations, promote ease of doing business, reduce the burden on courts, and rationalise existing provisions," Patel remarked.

According to the document uploaded on the assembly's official website, the bill's goal is "to amend certain enactments to decriminalise and rationalise offences, further enhancing trust-based governance for ease of living and doing business."

The proposed changes involve replacing punitive legal actions with fines and penalties for several offences. These include unauthorized construction, encroachment on public spaces, failure to remove filth, tying cattle in public areas, and defaults in tax payment, among others. The bill targets amendments to 11 different acts, such as the Gujarat Co-operative Societies Act, 1961, the Gujarat Agricultural Produce and Marketing (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 1963, the Gujarat Town Planning and Urban Development Act, 1976, the Gujarat Municipalities Act, 1963, and the Gujarat Provincial Municipal Corporations Act, 1949.

The Statement of Objects and Reasons for the Bill highlights the need to redefine regulatory frameworks: "A web of outdated rules causes a trust deficit, making it essential to reshape laws under the Ease of Living and Ease of Doing Business reforms."

The bill acknowledges that reducing compliance burdens will spur business process reengineering and improve living conditions. It also identifies the fear of imprisonment for minor offences as a barrier to business growth and individual confidence.

"The government, therefore, is considering decriminalising several minor offences by substituting monetary penalties. Through these measures, it strives to simplify life and business operations while reducing court burdens," the bill states.

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