The Government of Bihar, on April 01, 2026, notified the Bihar Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026.
The following has been stated: -
•The Bihar Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026, aims to decriminalise minor offences and promote trust-based governance to improve ease of living and doing business.
•It empowers the State Government to implement the Act in phases across different enactments.
•The Act amends various laws by replacing criminal penalties with civil or administrative actions for non-serious and procedural violations, while retaining criminal liability for serious offences like fraud or misappropriation.
•It also provides for a periodic increase of fines and penalties by 10% every three years.
•Additionally, in municipal laws, imprisonment provisions are largely replaced with monetary penalties, and the government is given authority to address implementation difficulties without affecting existing rights or legal proceedings.
•It shall come into force on such date as the Government of Bihar may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint; and different dates may be appointed for amendments relating to different enactments mentioned in the Schedule.
The detailed notification is given in the document below.
