Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Amendment) Bill, 2021 - Key Points

On December 13, 2021, Lok Sabha passed the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Amendment) Bill, 2021. It amends the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.

• It seeks to rectify a drafting anomaly, which was created by a 2014 amendment to the parent legislation.
• Amendment comprises a legislative declaration about what one section refers to. According to it, Section 2 clause viii(a) corresponds to clause viii(b) in Section 27, since 2014.
• Section 27A of the NDPS Act 1985, contains punishment provisions for financing illicit traffic and harboring offenders.
• While defining “essential drugs” in the 2014 amendment, section-2 of the act was re-numbered. Thus, the catalog of offenses, which was originally listed under Section 2(viii)a, was now listed under Section 2(viii)b.