Chandigarh, October 31, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Punjab Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, on Saturday approved the establishment of 35 Exclusive Special NDPS Courts across the state to expedite trials in drug-related cases, reduce judicial pendency and strengthen the legal response to drug trafficking and abuse.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the Council of Ministers, with the courts to be established in the first phase to address the growing backlog of NDPS cases.
According to the Chief Minister’s Office, Punjab registers approximately 20,000 NDPS cases and makes around 27,000 arrests annually. Of these cases, nearly 12,000 are tried by Sessions Courts, while only about 5,700 are disposed of each year.
As a result, the state had 52,577 pending NDPS cases as of August 31, 2026, with the average disposal time estimated at around eight years.
The Registrar General of the Punjab and Haryana High Court had assessed the requirement for additional exclusive special courts to clear the backlog over the next five to seven years. Based on this assessment, the Cabinet approved 35 dedicated courts in the first phase.
Alongside the courts, the government has approved 385 posts, including 35 Additional District and Sessions Judges, 315 supporting staff members and 35 Assistant District Attorneys.
An estimated expenditure of approximately Rs 75 crore, including infrastructure costs, has also been sanctioned for the initiative.
The existing designated courts will continue to function until the new Exclusive Special NDPS Courts become fully operational.
According to the government, the dedicated courts are expected to accelerate the disposal of drug-related cases, reduce delays and improve the utilisation of government witnesses.
The initiative is aimed at strengthening the judicial mechanism dealing with NDPS offences and supporting the Punjab Government’s ongoing efforts to tackle the drug menace in the state.
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