This represents a significant milestone in the functioning of retail businesses in India, as the bill removes criminal penalties for certain Acts, such as the Legal Metrology Act and Food Safety Act, and streamlines minor offences
Mumbai: The Lok Sabha has successfully passed the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2023, on July 27, 2023, decriminalising several regulations related to retail. Retailers welcome the move which has been long-awaited, the Retailers Association of India (RAI) said.
The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2022, introduced in Lok Sabha on December 22, 2022, replaces various fines with penalties, eliminating the need for court prosecution to impose punishments. Additionally, the bill removes imprisonment as a penalty for several offences. Subsequently, the joint committee reviewed the bill and submitted its report to the Lok Sabha in March of the current year.
This represents a significant milestone in the functioning of retail businesses in India, as the bill removes criminal penalties for certain Acts, such as the Legal Metrology Act and Food Safety Act, and streamlines minor offences.
“The introduced reforms promote a favourable environment for conducting business and demonstrate the Government of India’s progressive approach,” Kumar Rajagopalan, chief executive officer, Retailers Association of India (RAI) said thanking Shri Piyush Goyal, Honourable Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs and Food and Public Distribution, and Textiles, as well as Shri Rohit Kumar Singh, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Government of India, for making this happen.
Retailers Association of India (RAI) had been pursuing the Government for the amendment as part of the ease of doing retail business recommendations for which RAI had a series of meetings in 2022 with the Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India, the apex body said in a release.
RAI works with all the stakeholders for creating the right environment for the growth of the modern retail industry in India. It works with all levels of government and stakeholders to support employment growth and career opportunities in retail, promote and sustain retail investments in communities from coast to coast, and enhance consumer choice and industry competitiveness.
