All contracts to import poppy seeds should be registered with the Narcotics Commissioner, according to the Finance Ministry.

Guidelines issued

Guidelines to this effect were issued by the Finance Ministry recently, in a bid to stop the illegal imports of poppy seeds.

The guidelines were issued following a ruling by the Allahabad High Court bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud on November 29, 2013, on a public interest litigation filed by Ayurveda Sewashram Kalyan Samiti.

After the guidelines by the Finance Ministry, a petition was again was filed by Sewashram in the High Court on February 25, saying that the guidelines do not prescribe any limit after ascertaining the production and stocks in countries where the spice is produced.

However, the Bench, also comprising Justice Dilip Gupta, said that since the guidelines were issued only recently, it would consider it appropriate not to find fault, but expect the Central Bureau of Narcotics to perform its duties and obligations for the enforcement of the responsibility cast on it.

The bench disposed the petition on March 3. The National Policy on poppy seed emphasises that before registering import contracts, the Narcotics Commissioner must satisfy that the country from which the poppy seeds are proposed to be imported: (i) legally cultivates opium poppy; and (ii) can produce the quantity of seeds which are sought to be imported.

The discharge of the functions by the Narcotics Commissioner must be consistent with the purpose of implementing the important stipulations, which have made in the Import Policy for protecting the nation against the serious consequences of an illegal trade in poppy seeds.

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