Holi celebrations: What is restricted?

With COVID-19 cases increasing, certain cities and States/Union Territories (UTs) have put restrictions on the upcoming Holi festival celebrations (28th and 29th March, 2021).

What are the Government’s powers to tackle COVID-19?

COVID-19 is both an epidemic as well as a declared disaster in India. So, the Government response to it involves two primary laws – the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, and the Disaster Management Act, 2005.

The Central and State Governments have the power to take special measures and prescribe regulations to prevent the spread of a dangerous epidemic disease or disaster, and can take several actions to control the spread of the COVID-19 disease. For example, the Government can ban public celebrations or festivities, enforce lockdowns or curfews, etc.

What is the position of different cities and States/UTs on the Holi celebrations?

City/State/UT	What is banned?
Mumbai	All private (inside housing societies) and public Holi celebrations — Holika Dahan and Rang Panchami. You can celebrate within your home with your family that resides there.
Delhi	Public Holi celebrations and gatherings in public places like grounds, parks, markets, religious places, etc. You can have private Holi celebrations in your house or housing society.
Haryana	Public Holi celebrations. You can have private Holi celebrations in your house or housing society.
Uttar Pradesh	Holi processions or gatherings which do not have prior permission of the authorities. Holi celebrations should follow social distancing guidelines and COVID-19 protocols. Further, senior citizens above 60 years, children below 10 years, and those with comorbidities should not attend the public celebrations.
Gujarat	Public Holi celebrations. However, people can celebrate Holika Dahan in small gatherings (in housing societies, etc.) while following COVID-19 protocol.
Odisha	Public Holi celebrations in public roads, etc. You can celebrate within your home with your family that resides there.
Madhya Pradesh	Public Holi celebrations. You can celebrate within your home with your family that resides there.

To know more about COVID-19 and the Government’s power to impose lockdown and curfew, read our explainer.