The government on Sunday issued an order prohibiting the sale of non-essentials items through e-commerce portals during the ongoing lockdown imposed to contain the spread of the coronavirus. The move comes just four days after allowing these companies to supply such items to areas identified as non-hotspots after April 20, when restrictions are eased.
The Ministry of Home Affairs had last week issued orders to allow e-commerce companies to sell items ranging from mobile phones to home appliances after restrictions were eased.
The MHA clarified that e-commerce companies supplying essential goods have been exempted from lockdown restrictions, adding that vehicles used by these companies to deliver essentials will be allowed to ply with permission.
As per the revised guidelines, supply of non-essential items during lockdown have been stopped with a view to fight COVID-19.
The nationwide lockdown, which was imposed on March 25 for a duration of 21 days, was extended till May 3 in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19. In India, COVID-19 positive cases have crossed the 16,000-mark and over 500 are dead.