Chandigarh: The Punjab Cabinet on Saturday approved 35 ‘exclusive special’ NDPS courts across the state to expedite drug cases, reduce judicial pendency and strengthen the fight against drug trafficking.An official spokesperson said, “Punjab is facing a serious challenge of drug trafficking and abuse, with around 20,000 NDPS cases registered and around 27,000 arrests made annually. Of these, around 12,000 cases are tried by sessions courts, while only around 5,700 cases are disposed of annually, resulting in 52,577 pending cases as on Aug31, 2026. Consequently, the average disposal time of such cases is approximately eight years.”The registrar general of the Punjab and Haryana high court had assessed the requirement for additional exclusive special NDPS Courts to clear the backlog over the next five to seven years. Accordingly, the cabinet has approved the establishment of 35 such courts in the first phase.The cabinet also approved 385 posts, including 35 additional district and sessions judges, 315 support staff and 35 assistant district attorneys. An estimated expenditure of approximately Rs 75 crore, including infrastructure costs, has also been sanctioned. Existing designated courts will continue functioning until the new exclusive special NDPS courts become operational.“These dedicated courts will facilitate speedy disposal of NDPS cases, reduce pendency and delays. The initiative is expected to strengthen the judicial mechanism against drug-related offences and further the Punjab govt’s efforts to tackle drug menace in the state,” said the spokesperson.
