Delhi Cabinet moves to drop jail time for minor rule-breaks
Delhi just greenlit the Jan Vishwas Bill, 2026, which swaps out jail time for civil fines if you slip up on minor rules under seven city laws.
This follows a national trend of making laws less harsh for small mistakes—such as minor, technical, or procedural violations, as described by the government.
Why does this matter?
If you run a shop, study here, or just live in Delhi, this bill means you won't face criminal charges for small compliance goofs—just pay a fine and move on.
It's designed to help students, small business owners, and everyday folks avoid unnecessary legal trouble.
Serious stuff like public health and safety violations? Those still stay criminal.
The bill goes to the Delhi Assembly this winter.
What's changing behind the scenes?
The law tweaks rules in acts like Shops & Establishments and Jal Board regulations.
Fines will go up by 10% every three years (to keep up with inflation), but no extra government spending is needed—they'll use existing staff to make it work.