Uttar Pradesh govt proposes new law to decriminalise 293 minor offences

Hindustan Times

17 hours ago

In a bid to create an industry-friendly atmosphere and remove irritants in the ease of doing business, the Uttar Pradesh government proposes to enact a new law to decriminalise 293 minor offences and replace the provisions for imprisonment with civic penalties The state government is working on bringing the new law on the pattern of the Jan Vishwas Adhiniyam that the Centre enacted in 2023, those aware of the development said. (REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE)
Those aware of the development said the 293 provisions proposed to be decriminalised are part of nearly 15-20 acts and the proposed law would ensure that the penalties are commensurate with the seriousness of the crime.
The Uttar Pradesh Revenue Code, the laws for urban local bodies that include the municipal corporations, the Fire Services Act, the Tree Protection Act, labour laws and the laws for industry have provisions for imprisonment for minor offences. The proposed new law will decriminalise them.
Under the proposed new law, there will be provisions for compounding of minor offences. The provisions for imprisonment up to about six months will be replaced by a fine of a few thousand of rupees or to a lakh or so.
'We propose to enact a new law to decriminalise 293 of 294 provisions of law as part of the state government's efforts to provide an industry-friendly atmosphere and relax provisions for the ease of doing business. No relaxation will be made in the provisions for imprisonment if the offence causes health hazards or directly affects human lives,' said a senior officer of the state government.
The state government is working on bringing the new law on the pattern of the Jan Vishwas Adhiniyam that the Centre enacted in 2023, those aware of the development said.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath has time and again asked the officers to remove irritants in the ease of doing business. Chief secretary SP Goyal also chaired a meeting convened on Tuesday to review the progress under the flagship Compliance and Reduction and Deregulation 2025 initiative. Efforts to ease the regulations and create an industry-friendly ecosystem are part of this initiative.
A senior officer said the draft of the new law is being finalised and once approved by the state cabinet, the proposed legislation may be moved in the monsoon session of the state legislature commencing on August 11.