Maharashtra’s Home Department has decided to withdraw all cases filed under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) during the lockdown against students and other citizens for violation of norms, news agency ANI reported. Once the decision is approved by the Cabinet, the process of withdrawal of cases will start, said Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip W Patil. For the unversed, lockdowns were implemented across India, including in Maharashtra, after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation on March 11, 2020, nearly three months after the first case of the SARS-CoV-2 virus was officially reported by China.
While the initial lockdowns were implemented nationally, the curbs in the later stages of the coronavirus pandemic were imposed by the respective state governments. During all such lockdowns, especially in the initial months of the pandemic, strict rules were put in place and violators were booked. Fines were also imposed for violating COVID-19 guidelines and rules, including not wearing masks in public places or stepping out of home during curfew timings. Maharashtra on Monday reported 110 fresh Covid-19 cases and zero fatality, taking the tally of infections to 78,73,619, the state health department said. The Covid-19 death toll remained unchanged at 1,47,780. The state is now left with 964 active cases in a total of 35 districts.