Rs. 10,000 fine & jail term for violating COVID-19 regulations: Minister

In an effort to ensure public health and safety, the government is pursuing legal action against those who defy COVID-19 health regulations, Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi said.

The Minister said that in response to the present situation the government is deliberating several measures to ensure public health and safety, adding that the gazette pertaining to these new regulations would be published within the next two days.

Accordingly legal action would be taken against those defying health rules and regulations in areas identified by the Director General of Health Services as disease hotspots.

The gazette would address issues such as refusal to wear protective face masks, refusal to practice social distancing, as well as subjecting persons to temperature checks at public spaces.

The Minister said the gazette would ensure that those who fail to adhere to these health regulations would be penalized. Accordingly those violating health regulations can be fined a maximum of Rs. 10,000 or be handed a six-month jail term. The Minister added that courts will have the discretion to impose either one or both of these penalties on those jeopardizing public safety.(Kalani Kumarasinghe)