The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 – All Sections

An Act to consolidate and amend the law relating to narcotic drugs, to make stringent provisions for the control and regulation of operations relating to narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances , to provide for the forfeiture of property derived from, or used in, illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, to implement the provisions of the International Conventions on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances and for matters connected therewith.

The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 has 127 sections in 8 chapters, amended 6 times. Each link below opens the official text of that section. Official PDF on India Code.

The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 PDF

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Official copy of the Act from India Code (Legislative Department, Government of India).

All sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985

Chapter I: PRELIMINARY

Section 1 – Short title, extent and commencement
Section 2 – Definitions
Section 3 – Power to add to or omit from the list of psychotropic substances

Chapter II: AUTHORITIES AND OFFICERS

Section 4 – Central Government to take measures for preventing and combating abuse of and illicit traffic in narcotic drugs, etc
Section 5 – Officers of Central Government
Section 6 – The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropie Substances Consultative Committee
Section 7 – Officers of State Government

Chapter III: PROHIBITION, CONTROL AND REGULATION

Section 8 – Prohibition of certain operations
Section 8A – Prohibition of certain activities relating to property derived from offence
Section 9 – Power of Central Government to permit, control and regulate
Section 9A – Power to control and regulate controlled substances
Section 10 – Power of State Government to permit, control and regulate
Section 11 – Narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, etc., not liable to distress or attachment
Section 12 – Restrictions over external dealings in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances
Section 13 – Special provisions relating to coca plant and coca leaves for use in the preparation of flavouring agent
Section 14 – Special provision relating to cannabis

Chapter IV: OFFENCES AND PENALTIES

Section 15 – Punishment for contravention in relation to poppy straw
Section 16 – Punishment for contravention in relation to coca plant and coca leaves
Section 17 – Punishment for contravention in relation to prepared opium
Section 18 – Punishment for contravention in relation to opium poppy and opium
Section 19 – Punishment for embezzlement of opium by cultivator
Section 20 – Punishment for contravention in relation to cannabis plant and cannabis
Section 21 – Punishment for contravention in relation to manufactured drugs and preparations
Section 22 – Punishment for contravention in relation to psychotropic substances
Section 23 – Punishment for illegal import in to India, export from India or transhipment of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances
Section 24 – Punishment for external dealings in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances in contravention of section 12
Section 25 – Punishment for allowing premises, etc., to be used for commission of an offence
Section 25A – Punishment for contravention of orders made under section 9A
Section 26 – Punishment for certain acts by licensee or his servants
Section 27 – Punishment for consumption of any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance
Section 27A – Punishment for financing illicit traffic and harbouring offenders
Section 27B – Punishment for contravention of section 8A
Section 28 – Punishment for attempts to commit offences
Section 29 – Punishment for abetment and criminal conspiracy
Section 30 – Preparation
Section 31 – Enhanced punishment for offences after previous conviction
Section 31A – Death penalty for certain offences after previous conviction
Section 32 – Punishment for offence for which no punishment is provided
Section 32A – No suspension, remission or commutation in any sentence awarded under this Act
Section 32B – Factors to be taken into account for imposing higher than the minimum punishment
Section 33 – Application of section 360 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 and of the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958
Section 34 – Security for abstaining from commission of offence
Section 35 – Presumption of culpable mental state
Section 36 – Constitution of Special Court
Section 36A – Offences triable by Special Courts
Section 36B – Appeal and revision
Section 36C – Application of Code to proceedings before a Special Court
Section 36D – Transitional provisions
Section 37 – Offences to be cognizable and non-bailable
Section 38 – Offences by companies
Section 39 – Power of court to release certain offenders on probation
Section 40 – Power of court to publish names, place of business, etc., of certain offenders

Chapter V: PROCEDURE

Section 41 – Power to issue warrant and authorisation
Section 42 – Power of entry, search, seizure and arrest without warrant or authorisation
Section 43 – Power of seizure and arrest in public place
Section 44 – Power of entry, search, seizure and arrest in offences relating to coca plant, opium poppy and cannabis plant
Section 45 – Procedure where seizure of goods liable to confiscation not practicable
Section 46 – Duty of land holder to give information of illegal cultivation
Section 47 – Duty of certain officers to give information of illegal cultivation
Section 48 – Power of attachment of crop illegally cultivated
Section 49 – Power to stop and search conveyance
Section 50 – Conditions under which search of persons shall be conducted
Section 50A – Power to undertake controlled delivery
Section 51 – Provisions of the code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 to apply to warrants, arrests, searches and seizures
Section 52 – Disposal of persons arrested and articles seized
Section 52A – Disposal of seized narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances
Section 53 – Power to invest officers of certain departments with powers of an officer-in-charge of a police station
Section 53A – Relevancy of statements under certain circumstances
Section 54 – Presumption from possession of illicit articles
Section 55 – Police to take charge of articles seized and delivered
Section 56 – Obligation of officers to assist each other
Section 57 – Report of arrest and seizure
Section 57A – Report of seizure of property of the person arrested by the notified officer
Section 58 – Punishment for vexatious entry, search, seizure or arrest
Section 59 – Failure of officer in duty or his connivance at the contravention of the provisions of this Act
Section 60 – Liability of illicit drugs, substances, plants, articles and conveyances to confiscation
Section 61 – Confiscation of goods used for concealing illicit drugs or substances
Section 62 – Confiscation of sale proceeds of illicit drugs or substances
Section 63 – Procedure in making confiscations
Section 64 – Power to tender immunity from prosecution
Section 64A – Immunity from prosecution to addicts volunteering for treatment
Section 65 – [Omitted] (omitted/repealed)
Section 66 – Presumption as to documents in certain cases
Section 67 – Power to call for information, etc
Section 68 – Information as to commission of offences

Chapter VI: MISCELLANEOUS

Section 69 – Protection of action taken in good faith
Section 70 – Central Government and State Government to have regard to international conventions while making rules
Section 71 – Power of Government to establish centres for identification, treatment, etc., of addicts and for supply of narcotic drug and psychotropic substances
Section 72 – Recovery of sums due to Government
Section 73 – Bar of jurisdiction
Section 74 – Transitional provisions
Section 74A – Power of Central Government to give directions
Section 75 – Power to delegate
Section 76 – Power of Central Government to make rules
Section 77 – Rules and notifications to be laid before Parliament
Section 78 – Power of State Government to make rules
Section 79 – Application of the Customs Act, 1962
Section 80 – Application of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 not barred
Section 81 – Saving of State and special laws
Section 82 – Repeal and savings
Section 83 – Power to remove difficulties

Chapter IIA: NATIONAL FUND FOR CONTROL OF DRUG ABUSE