Madras High Court Definition Of “Ganja” — Only Flowering Or Fruiting Top?

The Madras High Court considered the legal definition of “ganja” under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act) and whether the term covers only the flowering or fruiting tops of cannabis plants. The bench observed that statutory definitions must be strictly construed and that claims that the non-flowering portion falls outside the definition could not be accepted without legislative amendment. The ruling reaffirms the scope of criminal liability for cultivation/possession of cannabis beyond the flowering tops, thereby closing potential loopholes in NDPS prosecutions.