Overview

• A Supreme Court bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta on Friday refused to entertain the petition seeking a fresh ban on the novel.
• The plea, filed by advocate Chand Qureshi, objected to the book’s availability in the market following the Delhi High Court’s order last year.
• In November 2024, the Delhi High Court effectively removed the import ban after authorities failed to produce the original 1988 notification.
• With the Supreme Court’s dismissal, the High Court’s finding stands and the book remains legally available in India.
• Islamic organisations and clerics have opposed the High Court decision, recalling that the Centre’s 1988 ban cited law-and-order concerns.