Maharashtra: Spitting, smoking in public now punishable offences, fine upto Rs 3,000

The Maharashtra government has made spitting, smoking and consumption of tobacco products in public punishable offences in the state, which has reported the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the country so far.

State Health Minister Rajesh Tope made this announcement in a statement. The first-time violators will have to pay Rs 1,000 fine and perform public service for one day, he said. The second-time offenders will have to pay Rs 3,000 fine and perform public service for three days, the minister added.

"After that the punishment would be Rs 5000 fine and five days of public service," he said. Apart from this, as per various sections of the Bombay Police Act and the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the punishment will range from six months to two years of jail or fine, Tope said in the statement.

Till Friday night, Maharashtra had recorded 62,228 coronavirus positive cases, while the total number of deaths till then was 2,098.