These are the penalties for violating Coronavirus lockdown in India

• Most of the states in India announced a complete lockdown to control the spread of Coronavirus.
• Only essential services are allowed to operate during the lockdown.
• People found violating the lockdown can be punished with imprisonment and fines under different sections of the Indian Penal Code.

As the Coronavirus pandemic spreads across India and confirmed cases crossed the 400-mark, the majority of the states announced a complete lockdown till March 31.

During the lockdown, only essential services will be allowed to operate. All non-essential businesses will have to shut down. The government is also encouraging businesses and employees to work from home to control the spread.

All public transport has also been suspended till March 31 – this includes the Indian Railways, all domestic airlines as well as inter-state bus services. The Indian government also suspended all international flights to and from India for a week from March 23.

What does a lockdown mean?

A lockdown is an emergency protocol that restricts people from leaving an area. People are required to stay where they are and not leave the building or the given area until the lockdown is lifted.

Only essential services are allowed to operate during the lockdown. People are also prohibited from gathering in one place – the maximum number of persons allowed can vary from state to state, but it is generally in the range of 2-4 people.

Punishment for violating Coronavirus lockdown

The punishment for violation Coronavirus lockdown includes imprisonment, or fine, or both. People who violate the lockdown orders can be punished under the following sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC):


While the punishment can vary from case to case, violators could be imprisoned for up to two years and fined up to ₹1,000.

See also:

List of states and districts under lockdown in India

Coronavirus cases in India state wise

List of essential services operational during a lockdown