Supreme Court : Key NDPS Ruling Courts Can Impose Harsher Sentences Without Specific Reasons
The Supreme Court clarified the interpretation of Section 32-B of the NDPS Act, ruling that courts are not restricted to the factors listed in clauses (a) to (f) for imposing sentences higher than the minimum. The judgment affirmed that judicial discretion allows consideration of additional relevant factors, such as the quantity of contraband, to justify enhanced punishment. It overturned the High Court’s erroneous view that special reasons under Section 32-B were mandatory for exceeding the minimum sentence. The decision reinforces that sentencing flexibility under the NDPS Act remains broad, subject only to reasonableness and relevance of the factors considered.
Facts Of The Case:
In September 2018, the police in Ambikapur, Chhattisgarh, received information that Narayan Das and anothe...
