Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government has begun formal proceedings to withdraw a series of Covid-era cases filed against sitting MLAs and MPs for breaching lockdown rules in 2020 and 2021. The decision marks a major relief for elected representatives who continued to face charges long after similar cases against the general public had already been dropped.
According to senior officials, the withdrawal will apply strictly to cases where the maximum punishment does not exceed two years. This includes offences such as negligence leading to the spread of infection, defying official orders, violating quarantine rules, fleeing from hospitals during Covid testing or treatment, forming crowds for protests, and creating risks to public health during emergency restrictions.
During the height of the pandemic, Uttar Pradesh registered more than 3.5 lakh cases for violation of lockdown protocols. While most ordinary citizens received relief through earlier government orders, approximately 80 to 90 legislators—both MLAs and MPs—remained entangled in legal proceedings.
Officials stressed that the state’s latest review will exclude any case where lawmakers are charged under additional sections that carry penalties higher than two years. “Only those cases that fall entirely within the two-year punishment bracket will be considered for withdrawal,” a senior bureaucrat clarified.
Before issuing final orders, the state government is required to obtain clearance from the Allahabad High Court. Departments have already begun compiling files and seeking necessary permissions, signalling that the final phase of relief for lawmakers may soon be underway.
