Govt proposes tougher penalties for petroleum offences, decriminalises licence breaches
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has issued a draft amendment to the Petroleum Act, 1934 that decriminalises regulatory breaches such as violations of petroleum licence terms and invites public and industry comments.1
The proposal introduces a civil‑penalty regime allowing an adjudicating officer to levy up to Rs 2.5 crore for a first breach and up to Rs 5 crore for subsequent breaches, while maintaining criminal liability for breaches that endanger public safety or cause grievous injury or death, and adds imprisonment of up to ten years for damage to designated critical petroleum infrastructure.1