Amarinder writes to Rajnath, recommends death penalty for drug peddlers
July 04, 2018 20:01
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today wrote to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh recommending death penalty for first-time drug smugglers and peddlers, an official spokesperson said.
The decision to send a formal recommendation to the Centre to initiate the process of amending the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Act, 1985, was taken on Monday in a Punjab Cabinet meeting chaired by the chief minister.
In his letter, Amarinder Singh stressed on the need to strengthen the existing enforcement measures to provide for more deterrent punishment to the offenders.
The Punjab chief minister pointed out that the NDPS Act, in its current form, provides for death penalty if certain offences are committed twice.
This, the chief minister said, meant that a person can get away with these offences at least once, causing substantial damage to the youth and the society.
This should not be allowed and death penalty should be awarded to first-time offenders for offences elaborated in Section 31A of the NDPS Act, Amarinder Singh further said in the letter.
Apprising Rajnath Singh of the magnitude of the drug problem in Punjab, Amarinder Singh said drug dealing and peddling had caused serious strains on Punjab's human and economic resources.
These, he said, were obstacles in the state's socio-economic development.
-- PTI
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