Srinagar: The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has directed the Commissioner Secretary Home Department and the Director, Narcotic Control Bureau Jammu and Kashmir to file an affidavit detailing how many drug de-addiction Centres are running in the Union Territory.
Chief Justice Tashi Rabstan and Justice M A Chowdhary ordered that the affidavit be filed by or before December 30, the next date of hearing of a Public Interest Litigation.
The direction followed perusal of a status report dated August 20, 2024 filed by the government, contending that certain posts for the purpose have been referred to J&K Public Service Commission for recruitment.
The court also directed filing of a fresh affidavit by the authorities mentioning therein the current status of the posts referred to the recruiting agency.
On the previous date of hearing, the court referred to its order of 2022 in which it had directed the authorities to file a detailed action taken report, indicating steps taken by them with regard to the qualitative and quantitative overhauling of the Forensic Science laboratories in J&K and Ladakh and also steps required to be taken for de-addiction.
“One status report was filed on 27.02.2023 by the Director, Forensic Science Laboratories J&K, indicating the steps undertaken for qualitative and quantitative overhauling of the Forensic Science labs. In the status report, it is stated that the process has been initiated for filling up the vacancies,” the court had said, adding, “another status report dated 15.07.2023 was filed by the Special Director General of Police, Crime Branch, J&K indicating the action undertaken by the respondents for the purpose of checking menace of drugs, pursuant to the directions issued by this court from time to time.”
However, the court was informed that the authorities have not filed any status report with regard to the steps taken for de-addiction till date and that the de-addiction centres are not functioning properly; as such, the very purpose for which such centres have been established, was getting defeated.
Subsequently, the court directed the authorities to file the status report with regard to the functioning of the de-addiction centres being run either by the Government or by the private individuals and NGOs in the Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh. The court had also ordered authorities to inform it whether the vacancies have been filled in the Forensic Science laboratories or not.
