Over 2 lakh cases of lockdown violations registered in Maharashtra

What you need to know about the case?

• Over 2 lakh cases of violation of prohibitory orders have been registered in Maharashtra till date since the coronavirus-induced lockdown was imposed in March, an official said on Wednesday.
• At least 2,01,158 cases of lockdown violations have been registered, in which 31,424 people have been arrested since March 22, the official said.
• The police have registered 1,336 offences of illegal transportation so far and seized 93,174 vehicles, he said. Apart from this, a total of Rs 16.11 crore has been collected in fines from lockdown violators till date, he added.

The Law of Lockdown:

• The Ministry of Home Affairs published the official notification and invoked the lockdown under Section 6 of the Disaster Management Act. The Home Secretary issued guidelines for this lockdown under his powers in Section 10 of the Disaster Management Act, as the Chairman of the National Executive Committee constituted under Section 8 of the Act.
• The closest understanding of ‘lockdown’ can be construed from the Epidemic Diseases Act (EDA). Section 2 and 2A of the EDA give power to the State and Central governments to take necessary steps in the situation of an epidemic to control its outbreak, even if the steps are not mentioned in any law practice or theory in the country.
• In furtherance of the declaration of a nationwide lockdown, the Ministry of Home Affairs published guidelines using Section 10(2)(l) of the Disaster Management Act on the measures State and Central Governments must take during this twenty-one day period.
• The guidelines also said under paragraph 17 that any person who violates these containment measures will be liable under Sections 51 to 60 (Offenses and Penalties) of the Disaster Management Act, and under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code which creates the punishment for disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant.

How the police force is being affected?

• The state police force, which has been instrumental in implementing the prohibitory orders during the lockdown, is severely hit by the viral outbreak.
• As many as 89 police personnel, including seven officers, have succumbed to the deadly infection, while 1,583 are presently undergoing treatment at various hospitals, an official said. With the death of 52 personnel, the Mumbai police is the worst-affected force in the state, he added.
• Meanwhile, 315 incidents of attack on policemen have been reported in Maharashtra, in which 881 persons were arrested, the official said, adding that 54 attacks on health workers have taken place till date.

Despite heavy restriction people still seem to have violated of lockdown. Do you think the government should levy stricter punishment and heavy fine to stop this? Let us know in the comments below.