The Upper House passed the Epidemic Diseases Amendment Bill, 2020 on September 19.
The Centre implemented the Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Ordinance 2020 to amend the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 in order to provide protection to health care service personnel, their living premises as well as their workplaces against any violence during the course of a pandemic.
The legislation now provides for up to five years in jail for those who attack doctors and health care personnel.