CAN A PRIME MINISTER PUT THE WHOLE OF THE COUNTRY UNDER CURFEW WITHOUT DECLARING EMERGENCY?

CAN A PRIME MINISTER PUT THE WHOLE OF THE COUNTRY UNDER CURFEW WITHOUT DECLARING EMERGENCY?

-Jay Singh Rawat

Jay Singh Rawat Journalist and Author

What I know the “Police and Public order” are State subjects under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India and therefore, it is the primary duty of the State Governments to prevent, detect, register and investigate crime and prosecute the criminals/offenders. Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (Cr.PC) of 1973 authorizes the Executive Magistrate  (and not a Prime Minister) of any state or territory to issue an order to prohibit the assembly of four or more people in an area. According to the law, every member of such 'unlawful assembly' can be booked under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code. Social distancing and self-containment within the house is a need of the hour and Prime Minister Mr. Modi’s call for JANATA CURFEW is also timely and appreciable but I could not understand how a Prime Minister can declare curfew over all the states of India without declaring an emergency. In the name or on behalf of the President of India the government of India can only take reign of law and order of the whole of the country in its hand under the provisions of article 352, 356 and 360. I hope enlightened and learned facebook friends will guide me and clear my apprehensions.

In exercise of the powers under section 6 (2)(1) and section 10 (2)(1) of the Disaster Management Act 2005 the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) under the aforesaid provisions has issued a guideline to all ministries and departments as well State authorities to mitigate the crisis of COVID-19 . I wonder, where is the provision of curfew under aforesaid sections of the Act as declared by the Hobble. Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi on 24 March 2020. Both the sections as quoted or referred to by the NDMA are as follow:-

THE DISASTER MANAGEMENT ACT, 2005

ACT NO. 53 OF 2005

 [23rd December, 2005.]

10. Powers and functions of National Executive Committee.—(1) The National Executive Committee shall assist the National Authority in the discharge of its functions and have the responsibility for implementing the policies and plans of the National Authority and ensure the compliance of directions issued by the Central Government for the purpose of disaster management in the country. (2) Without prejudice to the generality of the provisions contained in sub-section (1), the National Executive Committee may— (a) act as the coordinating and monitoring body for disaster management; (b) prepare the National Plan to be approved by the National Authority; (c) coordinate and monitor the implementation of the National Policy; (d) lay down guidelines for preparing a disaster management plans by different Ministries or Departments of the Government of India and the State Authorities;

Section 6 in the Disaster Management Act, 2005

6 Powers and functions of National Authority. —

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, the National Authority shall have the responsibility for laying down the policies, plans and guidelines for disaster management for ensuring a timely and effective response to the disaster.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the provisions contained in sub-section (1), the National Authority may—

(a) lay down policies on disaster management;

(b) approve the National Plan;

(c) approve plans prepared by the Ministries or Departments of the Government of India in accordance with the National Plan;

(d) lay down guidelines to be followed by the State Authorities in drawing up the State Plan;

(e) lay down guidelines to be followed by the different Ministries or Departments of the Government of India for the purpose of integrating the measures for prevention of disaster or the mitigation of its effects in their development plans and projects

 (where is the provision of curfew or taking law and order in hands by the Prime Minister of India. This Authority can only issue an advisory)

Jay Singh Rawat
mobile-9412324999
jaysinghrawat@gmail.com

क्या है महामारी अधिनियम 1897
कोरोना से निपटने के लिए दवा तो उपलब्ध नहीं है मगर अंग्रेजों द्वारा बनाया गया एपिडेमिक डिजीज एक्ट या महामारी रोग अधिनियम 1897 ही उपलब्ध है, जिसका प्रयोग केन्द्र सरकार की एडवाइजरी पर राज्य सरकारों ने शुरू कर दिया है। इसलिए इस कानून को भी जानना जरूरी ही है। इस एक्ट की धारा-2 में कहा गया है कि,-
‘‘जब राज्य सरकार को किसी समय ऐसा लगे कि उसके किसी भाग में किसी खतरनाक महामारी का प्रकोप हो गया है या होने की आशंका है, तब अगर वो (राज्य सरकार) ये समझती है कि उस समय मौजूद कानून इस महामारी को रोकने के लिए काफी नहीं हैं, तो कुछ उपाय कर सकती है। ऐसे उपाय, जिससे लोगों को सार्वजनिक सूचना के जरिए रोग के प्रकोप या प्रसार की रोकथाम हो सके।’’

इस एक्ट की धारा-2 की उपधारा- 2 में कहा गया है कि ‘‘जब केंद्रीय सरकार को ऐसा लगे कि भारत या उसके अधीन किसी भाग में महामारी फैल चुकी है या फैलने का खतरा है, तो रेल या बंदरगाह या अन्य तरीके से यात्रा करने वालों को, जिनके बारे में ये शंका हो कि वो महामारी से ग्रस्त हैं, उन्हें किसी अस्पताल या अस्थायी आवास में रखने का अधिकार होगा।’’
महामारी अधिनियम 1897 की धारा-3 में जुर्माने के बारे में कहा गया है कि ‘‘महामारी के संबंध में सरकारी आदेश न मानना अपराध होगा। इस अपराध के लिए भारतीय दंड संहिता की धारा 188 के तहत सजा मिल सकती है। इस ऐक्ट की धरा-4 कानूनी सुरक्षा के बारे में है, जो अधिकारी इस ऐक्ट को लागू कराते हैं, उनकी कानूनी सुरक्षा भी यही ऐक्ट सुनिश्चित करता है। यह धारा सरकारी अधिकारी को लीगल सिक्योरिटी दिलाती है कि अगर ऐक्ट लागू करने में अगर कुछ अप्रिय हो गया तो उसके लिये अधिकारी जिम्मेदार नहीं होगा।