MUMBAI: Bombay High Court on Friday dismissed a public interest litigation seeking direction to decriminalize canabis.

A bench of Justice V M Kanade and Shalini Phansalkar-Joshi heard a public interest litigation by Aditya Barthakur, a lawyer, urging the court to declare the inclusion of cannabis under The Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act as illegal and ultra vires of the Indian Constitution.

Barthakur argued that failure to decriminalize cannabis will attract people to more dangerous substances. He submitted data to show the useful effects of cannabis on health including as a cure for illnesses like cancer. He also pointed out that several countries have legalised its sale and consumption.

The judges said they are not experts in the field and under Article 226 of the Constitution, they do not have jurisdiction to issue direction to Parliament or a government body to frame a rule. They orally suggested that a private bill can always moved in Parliament.