Allahabad HC Orders 'Lock-Down' In Five UP Cities Including Lucknow Till April 26

Lucknow, April 19 (TNA) The Allahabad High Court (HC) on Monday ordered the Uttar Pradesh government to "strictly enforce" lockdown till April 26 in Prayagraj, Lucknow, Varanasi, Kanpur Nagar and Gorakhpur. It ordered that all establishments be it government or private, except financial institutions and financial departments, medical and health services, industrial and scientific establishments, essential services including municipal functions, and public transport, shall remain closed till 26th April, 2021. The judiciary will however, function on its own discretion.

All shopping complexes and malls shall remain closed in this period. All grocery shops and other commercial shops excluding medical shops, with more than three workers shall remain closed till April 26. All hotels, restaurants and even the small eating points on thelas etc. shall also remain closed.

Educational institutions and other institutions relating to other disciplines and activities be it government, semi government or private shall remain closed including for their teachers and instructors and other staff and this directive has been given for the whole of Uttar Pradesh.

No social functions and gatherings including marriage functions shall be permitted till 26th April, 2021. However, in case of already fixed marriages a necessary further permission would have to be taken from the District Magistrate of the concerned district. Gatherings would be limited to 25 persons and the district magistrate concerned shall take decision after giving due consideration to the prevailing situation of the impact of Covid 19 including notification of containment zones in the area where such marriage has to take place;

All religious activities in public of any kind is directed to remain suspended and all religious establishments of any kind are directed to remain closed till 26th April, 2021. All hawkers including fruits and vegetable vendors, milk vendors and bread vendors, shall go off the road by 11 AM every day and containment zones shall be notified every day in two leading Hindi and English newspapers having wide circulation in the districts of Prayagraj, Lucknow, Varanasi, Kanpur Nagar/ Dehat and Gorakhpur.

All public movements on roads would remain restricted completely, subject to above directions. Movements would be only allowed in case of medical help and emergencies. In addition to the above directions, we direct the State Government to go robust for implementing the current vaccination programme.