Cases for violating Covid protocols to be dropped: Govt

The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to withdraw cases lodged for violating Covid protocols under the Epidemic Diseases Act during the lockdown.

According to an official, the decision would benefit thousands of people, including traders, migrant labourers, farmers and others across the state.

A statement issued by the government said that Law Ministry has issued directions to officials to drop the cases so that people would not have to make rounds of police stations and courts for these cases. It added that the FIRs caused unnecessary trouble to common people, and give police a chance to trouble people in the name of these FIRs.

Law Minister Brajesh Pathak told Indian Express that initially the decision was taken to drop the cases filed against traders, but the migrants labourers who returned to the state, and others, could also apply for scrapping FIRs against them by filing an application. “Based on the report from concerned District Magistrates (DM) their cases would also be dropped. There are more than 10,000 such cases against traders in the state, mainly under section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the IPC and the Epidemic Diseases Act,” the minister added.

Pathak said that the step would also reduce the pressure on the courts.

“Uttar Pradesh is the first state in the country to take back such cases. However, while taking back the FIRs, the state government would warn them to take strict precaution in case of such situations from now on,” the statement issued by the government said.