The move comes amid growing concerns over narcotics-related offences in Ladakh and forms part of a broader strategy focused on enforcement, awareness, prevention, and rehabilitation.
BY PC Bureau
June 24: In a significant step towards strengthening Ladakh’s fight against drug trafficking and substance abuse, Lieutenant Governor Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena has approved the constitution of a Screening Committee under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PITNDPS) Act, 1988.
The newly constituted committee will scrutinise all proposals seeking preventive detention under the PITNDPS Act before they are placed before the competent authority for approval. The panel will examine the evidence presented by sponsoring agencies, including the police, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Customs, and other enforcement agencies, to ensure that detention proposals meet the required legal and procedural standards.
According to officials, the committee will assess the seriousness of offences, evaluate the strength of evidence, and determine whether the accused poses a significant threat to public order and public safety. The objective is to ensure that preventive detention, considered an extraordinary legal measure, is invoked only in deserving cases and after thorough examination.
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Until now, Ladakh did not have a dedicated Screening Committee for vetting preventive detention proposals under the PITNDPS Act. Officials noted that the absence of such a mechanism sometimes resulted in procedural shortcomings, increasing the likelihood of detention orders being challenged before courts.
The newly established committee is expected to bring greater uniformity, legal scrutiny, and inter-agency coordination to anti-narcotics enforcement efforts in the Union Territory.
Highlighting the growing challenge posed by drug abuse, Lieutenant Governor Saxena said the menace posed a serious threat to the youth and the social fabric of Ladakh.
“Drug abuse poses a serious threat to our youth and the social fabric of Ladakh. While rehabilitation and awareness remain equally important, there can be no compromise in our resolve to act firmly against those involved in illicit trafficking of narcotic substances. Preventive detention under the PITNDPS Act is an extraordinary legal measure and, therefore, every proposal must undergo rigorous scrutiny and legal examination before such powers are invoked,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor added that the Screening Committee would ensure that all preventive detention actions undertaken by the administration are legally sound and capable of withstanding judicial scrutiny.
The move comes amid concerns over a rise in narcotics-related offences in Ladakh. The administration has adopted a multi-pronged strategy to address the problem through stricter enforcement, preventive measures, awareness campaigns, and rehabilitation initiatives.
Officials said the committee’s constitution is in line with practices followed in several other states and Union Territories, where similar high-level bodies comprising senior police officers, legal experts, and enforcement officials review detention proposals before they are processed further.
The administration believes the initiative will strengthen the Union Territory’s anti-drug framework and send a strong message to organised drug trafficking networks operating in the region.
