Unvaccinated government employees can NOW go to jail, says Delhi government

The Delhi government will not provide any kind of concession to its employees, who have not taken the COVID-19 vaccine as in a fresh order they have said that employees can now face criminal proceedings. In a fresh issue, a Delhi government department has warned its employees, who have not taken the vaccine, can also go to jail.

Employees will be considered on leave till they don't take the first shot of vaccine, the Delhi government has stated. The state government on October 16 did not allow its government employees to come to office who had not taken even a single dose of COVID-19 vaccine till October 15. 

On October 8, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) in an order said that all government employees, autonomous bodies, PSUs, local bodies and educational institutions under the Delhi government mandatorily need to take at least a single dose of COVID-19 vaccine by October 15. 

However, over 10 days since the deadline, nearly 2 lakh employees have not received even a single shot of the COVID-19 vaccine. 

Unvaccinated employees have been barred from coming to the office, while their departments have given them a stern warning.

On Tuesday, the Directorate of Training and Technical Education in an order said that those who have not complied with the order of DDMA can face criminal proceedings. Non-compliance of the order of DDMA will lead to penal action under sections 51 to 60 of the Disaster Management Act 2005, the order said. 

Under section 51 (b) of the Act, if an employee does not comply with the order issued by the Central or State Government under this Act without any reasonable reason, he shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both.