In a significant judicial-administrative step, the Chhattisgarh Government has notified three Exclusive Special Courts for exclusive hearing of cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, at Raipur, Bilaspur and Saraipali in Mahasamund district. The Law and Legislative Affairs Department issued the notification under Section 36(2) of the NDPS Act with concurrence of the Chief Justice of the High Court of Chhattisgarh. The arrangement has come into effect from May 11, 2026, in addition to the already designated Special Courts handling NDPS matters. According to the notification forwarded by the High Court, Kiran Thawait has been notified as presiding officer for Raipur with jurisdiction over the entire civil district as per work distribution by the Sessions Judge.

 

Kiran Tripathi has been notified for Bilaspur, while Pawan Kumar Agrawal has been notified for the Saraipali area of Mahasamund district. The High Court endorsement issued by Registrar General Rajnish Shrivastava directed Principal District and Sessions Judges of Raipur, Bilaspur and Mahasamund to take necessary action. The concerned judicial officers were directed to assume charge on May 11 forenoon. Documents related to the notification further show that the State Government sanctioned 21 posts for functioning of the proposed Exclusive NDPS Courts. These include three posts each of Additional District Judge entry level, stenographer, reader grade-I, execution clerk, deposition writer, process writer and peon. “The establishment of dedicated NDPS courts is expected to provide specialised institutional focus to narcotics prosecutions, reduce pendency pressure on regular criminal courts and facilitate comparatively faster adjudication of cases arising under the NDPS Act,” legal experts told The Hitavada.