Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 2 (IANS): With COVID cases spiking at an alarming rate in Kerala, the state government, in an order issued on Thursday night, banned the assembly of more than five people.
The new order, which will be in place from October 3 to October 31, says that the measure has been taken to enforce social distancing, and for this, Section 144 of the CrPC can be used.
District Magistrates have been given the freedom to use Section 144 to control the spread of COVID.
However, the order will not be applicable to marriages, where 50 people can be present, and funerals, which can be attended by a maximum of 20 people.
On Thursday, for the second successive day, daily COVID cases in Kerala crossed the 8,000 mark, at 8,135, while the total active cases reached 72,339.
Last week, an all-party meeting, called by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, had ruled out a total lockdown but agreed that rules can be tightened.