Haryana expands fast-track NDPS courts to 21 in anti-drug push
Synopsis
Haryana has more than doubled its fast-track NDPS court capacity, adding 13 new courts to take the total to 21 — with Sirsa alone getting six new benches. The move is the most concrete judicial escalation yet in the state's declared war on drug trafficking, closing the conviction gap that enforcement drives alone cannot fix.
Key Takeaways
Haryana has established 13 new fast-track Special NDPS Courts , raising the statewide total to 21 .
New courts have been set up in Faridabad , Gurugram , Panchkula , Rohtak , Yamunanagar , Fatehabad , and Sirsa .
Sirsa received the largest addition — 6 new courts — bringing its district total to 7 .
8 Special NDPS Courts are currently operational; newly sanctioned courts will be commissioned in phases.
DGP Ajay Singhal cited a 'zero-tolerance' and 'multi-pronged' strategy covering enforcement, financial investigation, and judicial speed.
The HSNCB Anti-Drug Helpline (90508-91508) and central NCB helpline 1933 are active statewide for tip-offs.
The Haryana government has established 13 new exclusive fast-track Special NDPS Courts, raising the total count to 21 across the state. The expansion, formalised through a government notification, is aimed at accelerating disposal of narcotics cases and reducing the backlog of pending drug-related litigation.
New Courts and Their Locations
Under the latest notification, one Special NDPS Court at the level of Additional Sessions Judge has been set up each in Faridabad, Gurugram, Panchkula, Rohtak, and Yamunanagar. In Fatehabad, two additional courts have been sanctioned, bringing the district's total to three. Sirsa has seen the largest single addition — six new NDPS courts — taking its district total to seven.
How the Network Has Grown
The rollout has been phased. Initially, two NDPS courts were established in Sirsa and Fatehabad. A second phase added six more in Ambala, Hisar, Kaithal, Karnal, Kurukshetra, and Panipat. As of now, eight Special NDPS Courts are fully operational — one each in those eight districts — with the newly sanctioned courts set to come online in a phased manner.
What the Government Said
Director General of Police Ajay Singhal quoted Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini as holding firm that 'no leniency whatsoever will be shown towards drug traffickers who destroy the future of the state's youth.' The DGP said the state is committed to dismantling the drug network 'from its very roots' by simultaneously strengthening law enforcement, the prosecution machinery, and the judicial system.
Singhal described a 'zero-tolerance' policy underpinned by a 'multi-pronged strategy' that gives equal weight to police action, intelligence gathering, financial investigation, asset attachment, public awareness campaigns, and expedited judicial processes.
Helplines and Reporting Mechanisms
The Haryana State Narcotics Control Bureau (HSNCB) operates a round-the-clock Anti-Drug Helpline at 90508-91508, through which residents can share confidential information on drug trafficking or narcotic sales. The MANAS portal and helpline number 1933, run by the central government's Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), have also been deployed across the state to widen the reporting net.
What Comes Next
The phased commissioning of the newly sanctioned courts is expected to sharply cut pendency in NDPS cases — a persistent pressure point in states along drug trafficking corridors. Haryana's move signals a broader strategy to close the gap between arrests and convictions, a gap that has historically blunted the deterrent effect of enforcement drives.
Point of View
But the real test is throughput — how quickly cases move from charge-sheet to verdict. Haryana's drug problem is concentrated in districts bordering Punjab, and Sirsa's seven-court cluster reflects that geography. Yet court capacity alone cannot substitute for witness protection and forensic lab turnaround, two bottlenecks that routinely stall NDPS prosecutions. The DGP's emphasis on asset attachment is notable: freezing traffickers' finances has historically been more disruptive to supply chains than custodial sentences alone. Whether the expanded judiciary is matched by equally expanded prosecution staff will determine if this is structural reform or optics.
NationPress
8 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many fast-track NDPS courts does Haryana now have?
Haryana now has 21 fast-track Special NDPS Courts after the government sanctioned 13 new ones through a recent notification. Of these, 8 courts are currently operational, with the remaining to be commissioned in phases.
Which districts got new NDPS courts in Haryana?
New Special NDPS Courts have been sanctioned in Faridabad, Gurugram, Panchkula, Rohtak, Yamunanagar, Fatehabad, and Sirsa. Sirsa received the largest addition of six new courts, taking its total to seven.
What is the purpose of the fast-track NDPS courts?
The fast-track Special NDPS Courts are designed to accelerate the disposal of cases filed under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and reduce the backlog of pending drug-related litigation. Speedier verdicts are intended to strengthen the deterrent effect of anti-drug enforcement.
How can Haryana residents report drug trafficking?
Residents can call the Haryana State Narcotics Control Bureau's round-the-clock Anti-Drug Helpline at 90508-91508 to share confidential information. The central government's MANAS portal and NCB helpline 1933 are also operational across the state.
What is Haryana's broader strategy against drug trafficking?
According to DGP Ajay Singhal, Haryana is pursuing a multi-pronged strategy that combines police action, intelligence gathering, financial investigation, asset attachment, public awareness, and expedited judicial processes. Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has stated that no leniency will be shown to drug traffickers.
