Social distancing violators to face legal action | Daily News
DGHS issues circular to Acting IGP

Social distancing violators to face legal action

No daytime curfew from today in all districts
Plainclothes Police to monitor to public behaviour

Health Services Director General Dr. Anil Jasinghe has issued special orders to the Acting IGP instructing the Police to take legal action against anyone who fails to maintain social distancing in public places with effect from today (26), DIG Ajith Rohana said during a special media briefing yesterday.

He said the Director-General of Health Services Dr. Anil Jasinghe had issued a circular to the Acting IGP granting power to the Police to arrest anyone not maintaining social distancing in places such as banks and supermarkets. Those who violate social distancing would be arrested and produced in Court, he added.

Accordingly, the Acting IG had sent out a Circular to all Police stations notifying the OICs regarding this order and those who violate this order will be charged under the quarantine Ordinance and could face a jail term of six months.

The DIG noted that the Police had observed over the past few weeks that people ignore all social distancing orders especially near bars and wine stores. Hence, he said that plain-clothed Police officers will be deployed at such identified places and they would be equipped with mobile phones with cameras which could record the behaviour of the public.

Thereafter uniformed Police officers would be called in to arrest any offenders.

Accordingly, these persons who fail to maintain social distancing would be arrested and produced in court and the recorded footage would be used against them in Court as evidence.

He also noted that shop owners and managers would also be charged for failing to implement proper social distancing guidelines and other health recommendations at their places of business as stipulated by the Health Ministry.

They could face charges of aiding and abetting these offenders to commit the offence, he said.


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