Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has decided to withdraw nearly 2.5 lakh cases, lodged for violating lockdown rules following the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic. A state government spokesperson said common people and businessmen, who have been running around to police stations and courts over the cases, will now be given relief. “The government will drop cases lodged under IPC section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant),” the spokesperson said. Uttar Pradesh Law Minister Brijesh Pathak said cases lodged for violation of Section 188 will be withdrawn automatically as also cases under Section 3 of Epidemic Diseases Act. “People booked under cases during lockdown will not have to submit any application. The process in this regard has started,” said Pathak. Recently, the state government had announced that it will withdraw cases lodged against traders in the state during the lockdown. “The state government feels that common people will suffer due to the cases lodged against them during the pandemic,” added the spokesperson. Uttar Pradesh has become the first state in the country to announce withdrawal of cases against traders and common people. The spokesman said that after traders met Law Minister Pathak in January, apprising him of cases lodged against them for minor offences, including keeping establishments open beyond prescribed hours or opening shops for non-trade purposes during lockdown, they were asked to compile a list of such cases. The government, he said, felt common people are suffering unnecessarily due to Covid-related cases slapped against them. “By withdrawing cases of violation of Covid protocols, not only will common people and traders get relief, but the pressure on courts will also lessen. Simultaneously, people will no longer have to unnecessarily run to police stations,” the spokesperson added. Cases had been lodged during the lockdown for breach of Covid-19 protocol and violation of lockdown norms.

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