3.9 lakh drug cases pending, Centre pushes states to set up special courts

With about 3.96 lakh cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act pending across the country, the Ministry of Home Affairs has asked all states and Union Territories to set up exclusive courts for narcotics-related cases. The direction came after the MHA was informed in a meeting that 22 states are yet to set up special NDPS courts. In the last six months, the Union Home Ministry has held multiple meetings with chief secretaries and home secretaries of states and UTs on the establishment of special NDPS courts to tackle the heavy pendency of cases. In a meeting held last month, it was found that Punjab has about 60,000 pending NDPS cases, yet no exclusive special court. “It was suggested by the MHA that five special NDPS courts be set up in Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Sangrur,” a source said.