Maharashtra Curfew Imposed Amid Omicron Variant Rise

The state government imposed a night curfew from 11 pm to 5 am and said no movement will be allowed within this period except for essential purposes. The government also barred the movement of people in groups of five or more.

Introduced 20 Jan 2022

Issue(s): Movement

Type: law

Ban on Political Rallies During Elections Amid Rising Omicron Cases

The Election Commission imposed a ban on political rallies and roadshows ahead of elections in five states - imposed amid an Omicran variant spike. The ban has been extended past its original expiration date of January 15 to January 22, 2022. Indoor political meetings will now be allowed, but subject to a cap of 300 people, 50 per cent of the hall's capacity, or the limit set by the state's disaster management authority. Large upcoming elections for five assemblies in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur will be held in seven phases from February 10 and results will be declared on March 10.

Introduced 8 Jan 2022

Issue(s): Assembly, Elections

Type: order

Restrictions on Public Gatherings Ahead of Religious Festivals

The Uttar Pradesh government issued strict guidelines prohibiting gatherings of more than 100 people in advance of major religious festivals. 

Introduced 24 Sep 2021

Issue(s): Assembly

Type: order

Stringent Restrictions on Movement in Kerala

The government of Kerala issued an order imposing "special intensified stringent lockdown restrictions" in wards with a weekly infection population ratio above 10. The government of Kerala defined such restrictions in an earlier order from 28 August 2021 as being a restriction on movement from 10 pm - 6 am. There is a limited list of exceptions without obtaining permission from nearest police center. Such restrictions are imposed by individual state authorities, not the central government. 

Introduced 18 Sep 2021

Issue(s): Movement

Type: order

Local Administrations Impose Lockdown Measures in Response to COVID-19 Variants

During a wave of COVID-19 in May 2021, different states in India began imposing lockdowns and restrictions. Local authorities have powers under The Disaster Management Act of 2005 and the Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897, which were invoked during the pandemic. Unlike the April 2020 lockdown imposed by the Central Government, local administrations have imposed these new restrictions in response to emerging COVID-19 variants. Measures include curfews and restrictions on gatherings. A total lockdown was imposed in May 2021 by state authorites when cases increased for a period of seven to fourteen days and was extended through June. The restrictions continued in districts where the COVID-19 positivity rate was high. While most states announced complete lockdowns, some states like Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand and Gujarat opted for partial lockdown restrictions. The Punjab state government imposed a 10 pm - 5 am curfew and shut down all schools from 4 - 15 January 2022 in response to rising Omicron variant cases. The government of Karnataka extended their ban on all protests and rallies through January 2022.

Introduced 15 Apr 2021

Issue(s): Assembly, Emergency, Movement

Type: order

Order No. 40-3/2020-DM-I(A)

Order No. 40-3/2020-DM-I(A) empowers states and union territories to impose local restrictions, such as night curfews, without prior consultation with the Central Government. The order also mandates state and union territory governments to conduct "intensive house-to-house surveillance by surveillance teams formed for the purpose" within COVID-19 containment zones.

Introduced 25 Nov 2020

Issue(s): Emergency, Surveillance, Privacy, Movement

Type: order

Curfew & Restrictions on Movement and Public Gatherings

The Kashmir administration imposed a nighttime curfew and restrictions on movement and public gatherings (not more than 3 persons) in Districts of Kashmir Valley, citing COVID-19. The restrictions are in place for two days, ahead of the first anniversary of the revocation of the region's special status.

Introduced 3 Aug 2020 In effect through 8/5/20

Issue(s): Assembly, Movement

Type: order

Lockdown Measures

The Kashmir administration imposed a complete lockdown in nine districts of the region, except for Bandipora district. Only agriculture, horticulture, construction activities are permitted. The movement of goods carriers, LPG and oil tankers is also permitted. 

Introduced 22 Jul 2020 Until 7/27/20

Issue(s): Movement

Type: order

Restriction on the Dissemination of Information Online (CP/XI (6)/144/(Prohibitory Order)/2020)

The Mumbai Commissioner of Police issued an order prohibiting the "dissemination of information through various messaging and social media platforms which is found to be incorrect, derogatory and discriminatory towards a particular community, distortion of facts, causing panic and confusion among the general public, inciting mistrust towards government functionaries and their actions taken in order to prevent spread of the COVID-19 virus and thereby causing danger to human health or safety or a disturbance of the public tranquility." Additionally, any person designated as an "admin" of a platform is personally responsible for whatever information is disseminated. 

Introduced 10 Apr 2020

Issue(s): Disinformation, Expression

Type: order

Prior Approval Required for Publishing Information about Coronavirus

The Maharashtra government prohibits organizations or individuals from publicizing information about the coronavirus without ascertaining prior clearance from relevant government health authorities, in order to avoid spread of misinformation.

Introduced 24 Mar 2020

Issue(s): Disinformation, Press Freedom, Expression, Access to Information

Type: order

Order No. 40-3/2020-D on Measures to be Taken by States and Union Territories to Contain Covid-19

The order among other things provides for a 21-day ban on all social, political, sports, entertainment, academic, cultural, and religious gatherings. Violations of these and other provisions in the order are subject to penalty under Section 51-60 of the Disaster Management Act, and Section 188 of the Penal Code. (See primary source or citation here)

Introduced 24 Mar 2020

Issue(s): Assembly

Type: order

Maharashtra Public Trust (Amendment) Ordinance

The government of Maharashtra state amends the Maharashtra Public Trust Act 1950 with Section 57A, establishing a separate “Epidemic Disease Relief Fund & Disaster Relief Fund,” on account of the coronavirus. The amendments require all public trusts to contribute a percentage of their gross annual income to the fund.

See primary source or citation here

Introduced 10 Apr 2020

Issue(s): Association

Type: regulation

Mobile Phone Tracking and Mandatory Selfies to Confirm Home Quarantine

The Karnataka state government directs all persons in quarantine to send a "selfie" of themselves every hour from their home, failing which they may be housed in government-created mass quarantine centers. The directive mentions that the selfie image shall include location coordinates to inform the government of the sender's location, and that every selfie sent by a home-quarantined person will be verified by the government. The state government has also released a mobile application which reveals the addresses of COVID-19 patients. The mobile app for tracking of quarantined patients has also been adopted by the Delhi, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra governments.

Introduced 31 Mar 2020

Issue(s): Surveillance, Privacy

Type: regulation

The Assam COVID-19 Containment Regulations, 2020

This set of regulations include "geographic quarantine, social distancing measures, enhanced active surveillance, testing all suspected cases, isolation of cases, home quarantine of contacts, [and] social mobilization to follow preventive public health measures." The regulations indicate that house to house surveys are to be used for surveillance purposes. Those surveys involved daily house visits by supervisory officers. Individuals believed to be infected were required to isolate at home until examination by a Rapid Response Team. Surveillance teams reported their activities daily to a central authority. All non-essential services were shut down. Containment zones were established and restrictions were imposed on movement into and out of containment zones. The regulations also indicated that "rumors and myths are to be strictly controlled by the administration." 

Introduced 31 Mar 2020

Issue(s): Assembly, Disinformation, Surveillance, Press Freedom, Expression, Privacy, Access to Information, Movement

Type: regulation

Ministry of Home Affairs COVID-19 Guidelines

The Ministry of Home Affairs issued Guidelines for States and United Territories on COVID-19 containment measures. The Guidelines prohibit mass gatherings in areas designated as "containment zones" or in districts reporting more than five percent COVID-19 postivity rates.

Introduced 28 Sep 2021

Issue(s): Assembly

Type: policy

Crackdown on Protesters Critical of Vaccine Export Policy

Police in Delhi arrested 25 people for putting up posters critical of the government's alleged policy of exporting more vaccines than it makes available to Indian citizens. Opposition politicians and rights groups expressed concerns about the crackdown's negative impact on criticism of government policies. 

Introduced 12 May 2021

Issue(s): Expression

Type: practice

Use of National Security Act to Threaten or Arrest Government Critics

The government charged a journalist with sedition under the National Security Act (NSA Act) for social media posts expressing criticism of the government's COVID-19 response. Additionally, Uttar Pradesh's chief minister threatened to use the NSA Act to seize the property of anyone, including health workers, who complained about a shortage of oxygen or other medical supplies for COVID-19 patients.

Introduced 25 Apr 2021

Issue(s): Expression

Type: practice

Surveillance and Arrests to Compel Mask Compliance

Himachal Pradesh Director General of Police issued an order authorizing district police officers to arrest without warrant anyone not wearing a mask in public places. The penalties are up to eight days in jail and fines of up to Rs 5,000. The Director General of Police also said that violations of mask and social distancing directives were being monitored by drones and CCTV cameras.

Introduced 27 Nov 2020

Issue(s): Surveillance

Type: practice

Denials of Protest and Demonstration Permits

Indian authorities have denied permits for protests or demonstrations due to COVID-19. For example, Delhi Police denied permission for a rally at the Jantar Mantar protest site in November 2020, citing COVID-19 and other restrictions. In December 2020, citing COVID-19 protocols, Uttar Pradesh authorities denied permission for a demonstration by the Samajwadi Party and detained various party leaders. Authorities also barricaded the road, which is just 200 metres away from the home of the party's president and close to the party's main office.

Introduced 11 Nov 2020

Issue(s): Assembly

Type: practice

Arrest of Protesters and Activists

Over a matter of weeks, nearly a dozen prominent activists and potentially dozens of other demonstrators were detained while coronavirus restrictions blocked prisoners' ability to file bail applications and to meet with attorneys. Although the arrests mirrored practices that preceded the virus, the fact that the arrests were conducted during lockdown meant that activists were unable to quickly file responses to charges that human rights groups assert were brought on limited evidence. The arrests have had the effect of controlling dissenters' ability to protest social and political issues.

Introduced 19 Jul 2020

Issue(s): Assembly, Expression

Type: practice

COVID-19 Crackdown on Journalists

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, state and national governmental actors in India have cracked down on journalists' coverage of the pandemic, and have employed lockdown measures in a way that adversely impacts journalists' ability to cover the pandemic. When writing critical coverage of governmental responses to the pandemic, journalists have been refused curfew passes, arrested under charges of spreading false information when covering governmental responses to pandemic, charged with acting negligently to spread infectious disease, heavily interrogated or physically assaulted by police, and charged with disobedience under the Epidemic Diseases Act. In at least one instance, a journalist was held incommunicado for 72 hours before finally being taken before a judge and charged. In July 2021, two newspapers were raided by tax authorities in a move widely believed to be retailiation for coverage critical of the pandemic response.

At a state level, the Manipur government used sedition laws against critics of its handling of the COVID-19 crisis. Notable journalists and activists were detained under India's National Security Act in Manipur for social media posts about COVID-19 alleged to endanger "public order." 

Introduced 27 May 2020

Issue(s): Disinformation, Press Freedom, Expression, Access to Information

Type: practice

Mobile Phone Tracking App

The government has made it mandatory for all central government officials to use the government-built Aarogya Setu app on their mobile phones. The app alerts users if a person in their vicinity has tested positive for Covid-19. The government has also made the app mandatory in virus "containment zones" throughout the country. The app lacks privacy protections, with the use of both Bluetooth and GPS, and with little transparency about how the data will be handled.

Introduced 1 May 2020

Issue(s): Surveillance, Privacy

Type: practice

Assam Anti-Disinformation Campaign

The Government of Assam filed charges against a Bengali daily published from Silchar, for carrying a false news report about the state’s first COVID-19 patient. The case was brought against the reporter who filed the story and the publisher of the newspaper under Section 188 of IPC and provisions of Assam COVID-19 Regulation, 2020. Additionally, Assam DIPR has formed a five-member committee for monitoring and checking fake news in all forms of media. The committee includes officials from the information, health, police and disaster management departments. The committee surveilled social media accounts and created WhatsApp numbers for the purpose of tracking information circulating on Whatsapp. As of April 8, 52 cases had been registered for spreading rumours/uploading objectionable comments on social media and a total of 25 people had been arrested, while eight were detained and then released.

Introduced 8 Apr 2020

Issue(s): Disinformation, Surveillance, Press Freedom, Expression, Privacy, Access to Information

Type: practice

Dispersal of Sit-in and Destruction of Protest Site

Citing a ban on public gatherings because of the Covid-19 pandemic, police in Delhi broke up a months-long sit-in protest against India's controversial new citizenship law. Police bulldozers destroyed tents and billboards at the protest site. (See primary source or citation here)

Introduced 24 Mar 2020

Issue(s): Assembly

Type: practice

Hand Stamps to Enforce Quarantines

The government of Maharashtra state announces a policy to stamp the hands of individuals required to self-quarantine. The stamps indicate that the stamped person must stay at home for two weeks, and indicate the dates of the person's required isolation. (See primary source or citation here)

Introduced 17 Mar 2020

Issue(s): Surveillance, Privacy

Type: practice