The Government of Nagaland on May 28, 2026, issued the Nagaland Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026.
The following has been stated:
• The Act aims to decriminalise minor offences, promote ease of doing business, and improve regulatory compliance by replacing criminal punishments with civil penalties in various State laws. The Act amends several existing enactments listed in the Schedule by substituting imprisonment provisions with monetary penalties, introducing graded penalties for continuing violations, and empowering designated authorities to impose penalties after providing an opportunity to be heard.
• It also provides that all minimum fines and penalties under the amended enactments will automatically increase by 10% every three years from the commencement of the Act. The Act includes saving provisions to ensure that existing rights, liabilities, proceedings, and actions taken under the original laws remain unaffected.
• The amendments cover multiple Nagaland laws, including the Nagaland Town and Country Planning Act, 1966, and are intended to create a more trust-based, business-friendly regulatory framework while ensuring continued enforcement through proportionate civil penalties.
