The story · written by grok-4.7,
From 14 July 1955 a Punjab order on the import and possession of charas came into force at once.[1] It prohibits bringing into the state, and possessing, any substance obtained from the Indian hemp plant and used as a substitute for charas. The same sentence prohibits any quantity of “classes”, or any preparation or admixture of it.[1]
The sentence as printed
The order is called the Punjab Import and Possession of Charas Orders, 1955.[1] The prohibition is one sentence. It forbids “the import into the State Punjab and possession of any quantity of classes or any preparation or admixture thereof or of any substance obtained from the Indian hemp plant and used as a substitute for charas by any person within Punjab”.[1] The plant substance has to be one “used as a substitute for charas”. The reprint spells the other noun “classes”. That is the word on the page that was read.
The publication line gives notification No. 1639-E&T-55/1839, dated 14 July 1955.[1] A later line says the order was republished on 9 August 1962 as notification GSR 138, and that number refers to sections 17 and 14.[1]
Four notifications cancelled
The order cancels four earlier Punjab notifications, and it prints their numbers and dates:[1]
| Notification | Date |
|---|---|
| 4870-EX | 13 November 1935 |
| 4305-EX | 16 October 1937 |
| 214-EX | 13 January 1939 |
| 266-E&T-50/559 | 10 February 1950 |
Clause 1 says the orders “shall come into force at once”.[1] The prohibition in force from that day is the sentence quoted above.
Punjab’s ganja order, then the national ban
A notification of 23 December 1954 had already prohibited the import of ganja into Punjab and the possession of any quantity of it, or of any preparation of admixture. The Dangerous Drugs Act of 1930 had left possessing and selling hemp to the states. Bombay in 1939 had prohibited the transport, possession and sale of charas in the city and in Ahmedabad. Assam in 1958 prohibited the sale, purchase, possession and consumption of ganja and bhang. In 1985 flower and resin became illegal everywhere, and the leaves were left out. The current account of Indian law is on the country profile.
Listed for context. No score change is recorded for India here.
References
Checked. The date and the event were compared with a source that was read.