The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has extended the COVID-19 directive issued under the Disaster Management Act up to January 31, 2022.
“For the enforcement of social distancing, State/ UT Governments may, as far as possible, use the provisions of Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) of
1973,” said the MHA order issued on December 27, 2021.
The decision has been taken in view of the initial signs of surge in cases of COVID-19 as well as increased detection of the Variant of Concern (VoC), 'Omicron', in different parts of the country, the order said.
Any person violating these measures will be liable to be proceeded against as per the provisions of Sections 51 to 60 of the DM Act, besides legal action under Section 188 of the IPC, and other legal provisions, as applicable, it further stated.
The MHA also reissued the National Directive for COVID-19 management that asks mandatory covering of face in public, no spitting in public places, encouraging work from home, and practicing social distancing.
The DM Act was first invoked in March 2020 in the wake of COVID-19 infection.
