Overview
- The government, which tabled the bill in the Lok Sabha on Friday through Minister Jitin Prasada, proposed changes to about 80 central laws covering 784 provisions with 717 set for decriminalisation and 67 aimed at ease of living.
- The plan replaces many jail terms with administrative penalties, designates adjudicating officers, and adds an automatic 10% increase in fines every three years to keep punishments from losing bite.
- Draft changes touch everyday rules, including a 30‑day grace period after a driving licence expires and a higher fine for dogs off leash under Delhi municipal law.
- Congress MPs K. Kavya and G. K. Padavi opposed the introduction and sought fresh scrutiny, while Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the House cannot resend the bill to a committee after its report and Prasada stressed that serious offences remain untouched.
- The measure follows the withdrawal of a 2025 draft after a select panel review and builds on the 2023 law that removed criminal liability for 183 provisions, as Nagaland passed a parallel state bill on Friday to pursue similar reforms.