MHA CLARIFICATION: MHA eases Lockdown Restriction on shops; Liquor and E-Commerce still shut [Update:11.34 AM]

As the country wrapped up its 30th day of lockdown to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in an order issued late on Friday night allowed shops selling non-essential items to open from April 25 in non-hotspot zones. .Updated MHA Clarification at 11.34 AM (April 25, 2020).The MHA order is applicable to shops in market complexes under the limits of municipal corporations and municipalities.MHA order also lays down that it is not applicable to shopping complexes and malls but only to local shops registered with the municipal corporation..In addition, the order makes inclusions in sub-clause (xiii) and (xiv) under Clause 14 on commercial and private establishments to include all shops registered under the Shops and Establishment Act of the respective states and union territories.This is inclusive of shops in residential complexes and market complexes.However, the order excludes shops in multi-brand and single-brand malls.The late night MHA order also makes it clear that all such establishments permitted to operate will work "with 50 per cent strength of workers with wearing of masks and social distancing being mandatory.".The MHA order is also applicable to individual shops within the limits of municipal corporations and municipalities and registered under the Shops and Establishment Act of the respective state or union territory.Thus basically markets in rural and semi-rural areas will be open where even non-essential items can be sold..The MHA order of April 24, 2020 and April 15, 2020 seems to have a typo / numbering issue. The order April 15, 2020 under Clause 14, had only 11 sub clauses. The order of April 24, 2020 included sub-clause 13 and 14 and missing the sub-clause 12..[READ MHA ORDER of April 24, 2020]