In a bid to give relief to the surrendered Naxalites of State, Chhattisgarh Cabinet has on Wednesday approved the process for disposal and withdrawal of criminal cases registered against surrendered Naxalites. Talking to media persons at New Circuit House in Raipur after the Cabinet meeting, Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao said that the cabinet meeting was held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai at his official residence in Raipur on Wednesday, in which several important decisions will be taken.

 

The Cabinet has approved the process for disposal and withdrawal of criminal cases registered against surrendered Naxalites. It has been decided to constitute a Cabinet Sub-Committee for review and scrutiny of such cases that may be recommended for withdrawal from the courts. After examination of the cases against the surrendered Naxalites, the cabinet sub-committee will place suitable cases before the Cabinet for the final decision. This initiative aligns with the provisions of Chhattisgarh Naxal Surrender/Victim Relief & Rehabilitation Policy – 2025, which allows consideration for withdrawal of cases based on good conduct of surrendered Naxalites and their contribution towards eradication of Naxalism, said Sao.

 

A district-level committee will also be formed to examine cases and submit its report to the Chhattisgarh Police Headquarters. After receiving opinions from the Law and Legislative Affairs Department, Government of Chhattisgarh; the cases will be presented before the Cabinet Sub-Committee. Matters recommended by the cabinet sub-committee will be placed before the Cabinet for final approval. For cases involving Central Acts or matters concerning the Union government, requisite permissions from the Government of India will be sought.

 

Other cases will be forwarded to the District Magistrate through the Public Prosecutor for withdrawal proceedings before the court, he added. In order to make state laws more relevant, streamlined and citizen-friendly, the Cabinet has also approved the draft of Chhattisgarh Jan Vishwas (Provisions Amendment) (Second) Bill,-2025, proposing amendments in 14 Acts.

 

Many existing laws carry provisions of fines or imprisonment for minor violations, often resulting in prolonged judicial processes that burden citizens and businesses. To promote Ease of Doing Business and Ease of Living, simplification of these provisions has been deemed essential. Previously, amendments to 163 provisions across 8 Acts were notified under the Chhattisgarh Jan Vishwas (Provisions Amendment) Act-2025. The new bill aims to further simplify 116 provisions across 14 Acts spanning 11 departments.

 

The bill introduces administrative penalties for minor violations, enabling quicker resolution of cases, reducing court burden, and ensuring faster relief to citizens. Several Acts also carried outdated penalty amounts, limiting effective enforcement. The proposed revisions are expected to strengthen governance and improve compliance. It may be mentioned that that Chhattisgarh has become the first state in India to bring forward the second edition of the Jan Vishwas Amendment Bill, said the Deputy Chief Minister.

 

The Cabinet also approved the Chhattisgarh Appropriation Bill-2025 for presentation of the first Supplementary Budget Estimates for the financial year 2025–26 in the winter session of the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly, beginning from December 14, he added.