The central government has decided to invoke the Epidemic Act of 1897 to tackle the coronavirus crisis. The decision was taken after a meeting chaired by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba on Wednesday with representatives of the Indian Army, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and other ministries.

"It was decided that all states/Union Territories should be advised by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to invoke the provisions of Section 2 of Epidemic Disease Act, 1897, so that all advisories being issued by the ministry/states/UTs are enforceable," said a statement issued by the government after the meeting


 Section 2 of Epidemic Disease Act of 1897 runs as

Power to take special measures and prescribe regulations as to dangerous epidemic 
disease.—(1) When at any time the 7
[State Government] is satisfied that 7
[the State] or any part 
thereof is visited by, or threatened with, an outbreak of any dangerous epidemic disease, the 8
[State 
Government], if 9
[it] thinks that the ordinary provisions of the law for the time being in force are 
insufficient for the purpose, may take, or require or empower any person to take, such me asures 
and, by public notice, prescribe such temporary regulations to be observed by the public or by any 
person or class of persons as 9
[it] shall deem necessary to prevent the outbreak of such disease or 
the spread thereof, and may determine in what manner and by whom any expenses incurred 
(including compensation if any) shall be defrayed.
Read whole Act here.. [PDF]