bombay high court order on aditya barthakur's pil
DESCRIPTION
Pune-based lawyer Aditya Barthakur moved the Bombay High Court with a PIL , contending that the criminalisation of cannabis use by the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act violated citizens’ fundamental rights and other constitutional principles. On 4 September, the court dismissed the PIL, stating that it didn’t have the powers to grant the reliefs demanded. Significantly, the court also expressed its inability (due to lack of expertise), to deal with technical arguments such as the beneficial and therapeutic uses of ganja , and instead suggested that Parliament is best suited to take any decision in this matter.TRANSCRIPT
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Bombay
Hig
h Court
- 1 -
(CrPIL 18 of 2015)
vatIN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
CRIMINAL PUBLIC INTEREST LITIGATION No. 18 OF 2015
Aditya Barthakur ...Petitioner Vs.
Department of Health and Family Welfare and Ors. ...Respondents ***********Mr.Aditya Barthakur -Petitioner in person presentMs.Rebecca Gonsalves for Respondent Nos.1,2, 5, 8 and 10Ms. Hina Shah for Respondent No.4Ms. Rajshree Gadhvi -AGP for Respondent No.9***********
CORAM : V. M. KANADE & Dr. SHALINI PHANSALKAR-JOSHI, JJ.
DATE : SEPTEMBER 4, 2015
P.C. :
1. By this petition, which is filed in the form of PIL under Article 226
of the Constitution of India, the Petitioner is seeking the following
reliefs:
“(a) That the Hon'ble Court be pleased to allow this Public
Interest Litigation.
(b) The Hon'ble Court be pleased to declare, the defining
and penal provisions, in relation to Cannabis, of The Narcotic
Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, and inclusion
of Cannabis in Schedule I, Entry (2) of The Narcotic Drugs
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Bombay
Hig
h Court
- 2 -
(CrPIL 18 of 2015)
and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, and inclusion of
Cannabis at Sl. No.23 in Notification Specifying Small
Quantity and Commercial Quantity, dated 19.10.2001,
published in the Gazette of India, for the purposes of
Section 2 (viia) and 2(xxiiia) of The Narcotic Drugs and
Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, and, inclusion of
Cannabis in National Policy on Narcotic Drugs and
Psychotropic Substances, as being unjust, and, ultra vires,
the provisions of Constitution of India, 1950, and,
(c) The Hon'ble Court be pleased to direct, the defining
and penal provisions, in relation to Cannabis, of The Narcotic
Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, and inclusion
of cannabis in Schedule I, Entry (2) of The Narcotic Drugs
and Psychotropic Substances Act, and 1985, and inclusion
of Cannabis at SI.No.23 in Notification Specifying Small
Quantity and Commercial Quantity, dated 19.10.2001,
published in the Gazette of India, for the purposes of Section
2(viia) and 2 (xxiiia) of The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic
Substances Act, 1985, and, inclusion of Cannabis in National
Policy on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, be
suitably amended for being, unjust, and, ultra vires, the
provisions of Constitution of India, 1950 and,
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Bombay
Hig
h Court
- 3 -
(CrPIL 18 of 2015)
(d) That as an interim relief the operation of every
provision in relation to Cannabis in The Narcotic Drugs and
Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, and Notification
Specifying Small Quantity and Commercial Quantity, dated
19.10.2001, contravention of which is a unjustified penal
offence, be suspended until the final hearing and disposal of
this Public Interest Litigation; and
(e) The Hon'ble Court be pleased to pass any other just
and equitable order in the interest of justice.”
2. We are afraid that this Court while exercising its writ jurisdiction
under Article 226 of the Constitution of India cannot grant the reliefs
which are claimed by the Petitioner. Apart from that, the Petitioner has
produced certain technical data regarding useful effects of Ganja etc.
We are afraid that we are not experts in the field and the Petitioner
can raise this issue in the Parliament which he has raised in this PIL
and hence, we are not in a position to entertain this PIL. Hence, the
PIL is dismissed.
[Dr. SHALINI PHANSALKAR-JOSHI, J.] [ V. M. KANADE, J.]Vaishali Tikam
CERTIFICATE
Certified to be true and correct of the original signed Order.
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