HC raps admin over ‘No Tangible Progress’ on drug menace, seeks concrete action plan by Dec 3

PIL on narcotic abuse pending since 2013; Govt told to spell out steps taken and roadmap ahead

13/11/2025

JAMMU, Nov 12: The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh on Monday expressed displeasure over the lack of "tangible progress" in a public interest litigation (PIL) on the sale and consumption of drugs in the Union Territory, even though the matter has been pending since 2013, and directed the Government to file a detailed affidavit outlining concrete steps taken and further measures proposed to curb the menace.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Arun Palli and Justice Rajnesh Oswal was hearing PIL No. 5/2013, titled Court on its own motion vs State of J&K and another, which relates to the growing problem of narcotic drug abuse across Jammu and Kashmir. The Court noted that, despite "numerous affidavits/reports" having been filed over the years, the situation on the ground does not reflect meaningful improvement.
During the hearing, Senior AAG Monika Kohli, appearing for the Union Territory administration along with Dy AG Vishal Bharti, sought a short accommodation to place on record a specific affidavit indicating the steps already taken to address the concerns raised in the PIL and to outline "various other means/methods" that can be adopted to effectively check the drug menace. The Bench accepted the request and granted time till December 3, 2025.
The PIL, initiated by the High Court on its own motion, is being pursued in public interest with the assistance of Senior Advocate Sunil Sethi, who is acting as Amicus Curiae, and Senior Advocate Deepika Mahajan with Advocate Atharv Mahajan. The Court also requested them to file a fresh affidavit suggesting additional, practical measures which may be implemented by the administration to strengthen the fight against drugs.
Adjourning the matter to December 3, the Bench made it clear that it expects both the Government and the assisting counsel to place on record concrete, result-oriented suggestions, signalling that the Court is no longer inclined to be satisfied with routine or generic reports in a matter involving the health and future of youth in the Union Territory.

Photo Gallery

BSE Sensex

NSE Nifty