Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 13: In a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by law student Atharv Mahajan and Court on its Own Motion regarding low conviction rate and acquittals in large number of NPDSA cases, Division Bench of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court comprising Chief Justice Tashi Rabstan and Justice MA Chowdhary has directed Commissioner Secretary to Government, Home Department as well as Director, Narcotic Control Bureau to file affidavit detailing therein how many de-addiction centers are running in Jammu and Kashmir by or before the next date of hearing.
When the PIL came-up for hearing, DB observed that S S Nanda, Senior AAG has filed status report dated 20.08.2024 contending therein that certain posts have been referred to J&K Public Service Commission for recruitment. The DB asked the counsel for the Public Service Commission to file affidavit by or before the next date of hearing mentioning therein current status of the posts referred to the Commission.
The High Court vide order dated 27.12.2022, after taking note of the order dated 04.03.2022, directed the respondents to file a detailed action taken report/status report indicating the steps taken by them with regard to the qualitative and quantitative overhauling of the Forensic Science Laboratories in Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh and also steps required to be taken for de-addiction.
One status report was filed on 27.02.2023 by the Director, Forensic Science Laboratories J&K indicating the steps undertaken for qualitative and quantitative overhauling of the Forensic Science Laboratories. In the status report, it is stated that the process has been initiated for filling up the vacancies. Another status report dated 15.07.2023 was filed by the Special Director General of Police, Crime Branch, J&K indicating the action undertaken by the respondents for the purpose of checking menace of drugs, pursuant to the directions issued by this Court from time to time.
Advocate Deepika Mahajan appearing for the PIL submitted that the respondents have not filed any status report with regard to the steps taken for de-addiction till date and that de-addiction centres are not functioning properly, as such, the very purpose for which such centres have been established, is getting defeated.
Accordingly, the DB directed respondents to file the status report with regard to the functioning of the de-addiction centres being run either by the Government or by the private individuals/NGOs in the Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh by the next date of hearing. “The respondents shall also inform this court whether the vacancies have been filled in the Forensic Science Laboratories or not”, the DB added.
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