Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has notified amendments to the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010 on 22 June 2026 in pursuance of the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026, which was published in the Official Gazette on 8 April 2026. 

The reforms are aimed at promoting trust-based governance, reducing compliance burden, improving ease of doing business, and ensuring proportionate regulatory enforcement, while continuing to safeguard patient safety and the quality of healthcare services across the country.

The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026 rationalizes provisions across 79 Central Acts administered by 23 Ministries and Departments. In the health sector, 35 provisions across five Acts under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare have been amended to decriminalize minor procedural non-compliances and strengthen citizen-centric regulatory practices. 

The amendments notified under the Clinical Establishments Act, 2010 form part of this broader reform initiative aimed at creating a more responsive and facilitative regulatory ecosystem.

Under the amended framework, the term “fine” has been replaced with penalty in Sections 40, 43 and 46 of the Act, thereby shifting the enforcement framework from criminal prosecution to administrative adjudication. Section 44 has been amended to introduce graded and proportionate penalties for contraventions committed by companies, ensuring that enforcement action is commensurate with the nature and severity of the violation. 

Further, the adjudicating authority mechanism under Section 41 has been strengthened and its scope expanded to cover proceedings under Sections 40, 43 and 44, thereby facilitating transparent, efficient and accountable enforcement.

The amendments also provide for a structured adjudication process, including an opportunity of hearing before the imposition of penalties, mechanisms for recovery of penalties, and an appeal framework for aggrieved parties.