The Lok Sabha on Monday passed legislation that provides for up to seven years in jail for those attacking healthcare workers fighting the coronavirus or during any situation akin to the current pandemic.
The Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Bill, 2020, will replace an ordinance issued in April by the government. The Rajya Sabha has already passed the bill on Saturday.
With the Lok Sabha giving its nod, it will soon become an act, which is going to amend 123-year-old legislation.
The government had brought the ordinance on April 22 to amend the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, to make incidents of violence on health workers treating COVID-19 patients a non-bailable offence, with provisions of a penalty and a jail term of up to seven years.
The bill intends to ensure that during any situation akin to the current pandemic, there is zero-tolerance to any form of violence against healthcare personnel and damage to property.
Under the proposed act, the commission or abetment of such violence will be punishable with imprisonment for a term of three months to five years and with a fine of Rs 50,000 to Rs 2,00,000.
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