Tamilnadu has no idea to extend Section 144 orders

According to sources the government of tamilnadu is yet to take a call on extending the prohibitory orders under section 144 in the state. This is in response to a few media reports, which hinted at an extension of the prohibitory orders in force in the state. Speaking to TNM about media reports that hinted at the extension of prohibitory orders, a senior bureaucrat from the government of tamilnadu said that the interpretation in the reports came from a government Order which was issued to sanction food and other essentials to various departments. “Nowhere in the operative part has anything been said about 144,” he said, adding that any decision on extension of lockdown will not be issued in secret. The official said that the food necessity of a department must not be confused with this.

The official said that prohibitory orders are usually issued by the district Collectors at the local level and was not a part of any other earlier government Orders which spoke about the lockdown. He added that a decision on extension will be taken at the right moment and will be made public. Rumours about the government of tamilnadu extending the prohibitory orders became rife after a few media houses reported on it on Monday. Their reportage stemmed from a recent government Order issued by the Revenue and Disaster Management department, which allocated funds for food and supplies based on the proposals submitted by the respective agencies like the State Disaster Response Force, police department etc. 

Moreover a few proposals submitted by the agencies have requested the government to sanction funds for operational purposes till april 30, 2020, which was interpreted as a possible extension of the lockdown and prohibitory orders under section 144.Tamilnadu has been under a statewide lockdown since 6 pm on march 24 as a precautionary measure against COVID-19. 

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