Odisha approves ordinance to decriminalize minor offences
Bhubaneswar, Oct 11 (UNI) In an effort to reduce criminal proceedings and adjudication costs, the Odisha Government announced the approval of the Odisha Jan Vishwas Ordinance, 2025, to decriminalise minor and procedural regulatory offences, rationalise penalties, and eliminate redundant compliance burdens from selected State legislation.
Once the Ordinance takes the shape of State law, civil penalties will replace imprisonment for non-serious defaults and the regulatory burden on both businesses and individuals will ease significantly.
This shift promises faster dispute resolution, fewer court backlogs, lower legal costs, and improved administrative efficiency, a statement issued by the government said.
The Ordinance approved by the State Cabinet yesterday is designed to reinforce both Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) and Ease of Living (EoL) across the State by embedding a trust-based, facilitative governance model.
In alignment with the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023 of the Government of India, which advocates replacement of criminal sanctions for non- serious defaults with proportionate civil penalties, Odisha undertook a systematic review of its regulatory framework. The review process involved nine departments and covered 16 State Acts.
The ordinance will bring into effect graded civil penalty regimes replacing the fine provisions, lower thresholds for procedural defaults, and proportionate sanctioning for technical or regulatory breaches, eliminating imprisonment in non-serious cases.
Enquiries and appeals will be adjudicated by authorised officials, shortening resolution time and reducing litigation costs.
The ordinance covers a diverse range of regulatory and administrative domains, including the Odisha Nurses and Midwives Registration Act, 1938, the Odisha Municipal Act, 1950, the Odisha Prevention of Gambling Act, 1955, the Odisha Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1956, the Odisha Town Planning and Improvement Trust Act, 1956, 6.
The Odisha Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1956, the Odisha Electricity (Duty) Act, 1961, the Odisha Kendu Leaves (Control of Trade) Act, 1961, the Odisha Co-operative Societies Act, 1962, the Odisha Industrial Establishments (National and Festival) Holidays Act, 1969, the Odisha Development Authorities Act, 1982, the Odisha Fire and Emergency Services Act, 1993, the Odisha Municipal Corporation Act, 2003, the Odisha Value Added Tax Act, 2004, the Odisha Labour Welfare Fund Act, 2005, the Odisha Excise Act, 2008.
Civil penalties will replace imprisonment for non-serious defaults
These reforms collectively rationalize penalties for minor and regulatory offences, simplify compliance procedures, and bring State laws in harmony with Central legislations such as the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 and the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023.
The decriminalisation of minor and procedural lapses under the Odisha Jan Vishwas Ordinance, 2025, will lead to a marked reduction in criminal proceedings and related adjudication costs.
At the same time, the adoption of a graded penalty framework and more transparent adjudication processes will bolster regulatory certainty and trust. Compliance will be driven less by fear of punishment and more by clarity, fairness, and predictability.
Together, these reforms enhance the Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) and Ease of Living (EoL), strengthening investor confidence and positioning Odisha as a more accessible, citizen-centric, and growth-oriented State.
