Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Assembly Tuesday passed a Bill aimed at decriminalising certain minor offences in 16 existing laws to promote a more business-friendly and citizen-centric environment in the state.
The Odisha Jan Vishwas Bill, 2025, moved by Industries Minister Sampad Chandra Swain, was debated amid demands from the opposition BJD and Congress members to refer it to a select committee for further scrutiny.
Critics labelled it an “A-Vishwas Bill” and warned that it could harm society rather than benefit the public.
While ‘Vishwas’ means ‘trust’, ‘A-Vishwas’ is just the opposite.
Swain defended the legislation, saying it targets provisions that impede ‘ease of doing business’ and ‘ease of living’.
“Several laws in Odisha have come to include strict fines, even imprisonment for minor omissions or procedural lapses, despite the absence of any fraudulent or harmful intent. These onerous provisions place an unnecessary burden on individuals and businesses, discourage compliance and lead to avoidable litigation,” he said.
He added that 16 legislations spanning key sectors such as labour, urban governance, agriculture, health, and trade have been reviewed under the reform.
“The objective is to move away from treating minor, unintentional violations as crimes and instead handle them through civil penalties or administrative processes. This will help reduce load on the criminal justice system and encourage honest compliance rather than instilling fear of prosecution,” he said.
With the Assembly’s approval, 161 provisions across the 16 laws will be amended. In addition, 50 penal laws will see simplification in criminalisation, 111 laws imposing fines will be converted to financial penalty frameworks, and others will undergo administrative simplification, the minister said.
During the discussion, Congress members C S Razen Ekka and Sofia Firdous demanded that the Bill be sent to the select committee for detailed examination.
“Removing the imprisonment clause in certain cases would instead encourage crimes,” Ekka said, while Firdous emphasised the need for a closer review of laws relating to gambling, excise, and other matters.
BJD members Ranendra Pratap Swain, Ganeswar Behera, Goutam Buddha Das, and Dhruba Charan Sahoo opposed the legislation, arguing that it favoured corporate interests over public welfare.
“We do not understand why the Odisha government is in a hurry to pass the Bill while many BJP-ruled states are yet to do so. Odisha’s eagerness could be known from the imposition of an ordinance on Jan Vishwas just 25 days before the commencement of the winter session of the Assembly,” Behera said.
BJP members Irashish Acharya and Fakir Mohan Nayak supported the Bill, stating that it would help reduce harassment of citizens over minor offences.
Opposition members staged a walk-out during the minister’s reply.