Here are the penalties for violating lockdown and section 144

• he Delhi Government ordered a lockdown in the national capital region (NCR) from March 23, 2020 to March 31, 2020 to stall the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The move by the government follows the Prime Minister’s advice to the local, and state governments to resort to proactive steps to combat the spread of the novel Coronavirus.
• Detailed guidelines on the lockdown have been issued in the notification and here are the penalties for violations as per the relevant sections in the law.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a national health emergency situation and governments are resorting to quarantine measures to control the disease. India went in for a day-long and nation-wide lockdown on Sunday, March 22, 2020 to prepare the country for a possible emergency.

The Prime Minister Narendra Modi advised the state and local governments to resort to any proactive measures they deem as appropriate to control the deepening pandemic. Continuing the nation-wide lockdown, Delhi will go on a nine-day long lockdown applicable to the NCR jurisdiction till March 31, 2020.

Here is what you must know about the lockdown and the penalties involved for violations.

The lockdown notification

The Delhi Government has declared a lockdown vide an order issued by the Health And Family Welfare Department of Delhi dated March 22, 2020. The lockdown will be applicable to the whole of the NCR jurisdiction and will extend from 06:00 hours on Monday, March 23, 2020 to midnight of Tuesday, March 31, 2020.

The Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, "Extraordinary situations require extraordinary measures...Delhi will be in a lockdown from March 23 6 AM till the midnight of March 31,"

What are the restrictions?

The nine-day long lockdown restricts people movements and the activities connected to non-essential services. Public transportation will remain suspended and the state transport will operate 25% of the buses for the use of non-essential services personnel.

While the essential services listed in the order can continue, all non-essential services and activities shall remain suspended during the lockdown period. Public movements are restricted and there shall not be a gathering of more than four persons in a place. Weekly markets, concerts, seminars, conferences and academic and sports gatherings are strictly prohibited during the lockdown period.

Here are the penalties for violation

Any violations to government orders will invite penalties as per relevant sections.


Anyone found violating the prohibitory order will invite a fine or a jail term for a month or both. As per Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) of 1973, all the members involved in unlawful assembly can be booked for engaging in rioting.

As per Section 146, an act of riot is defined as the offense committed by every member of the unlawful assembly. As per Section 141-149 of the IPC, riots can invite a rigorous imprisonment for 3 years and or fine. In this case, every member of the unlawful assembly will be considered responsible for the crime committed by the group.

Obstructing the officers who are dispersing an unlawful assembly while an act of violation is committed, will attract further punishment.

Section 144 also confers the magistracy the power to order absolute immediately when urgent cases of apprehended danger are perceived.

See Also -
What is lockdown
India Helpline number for Coronavirus cases