The Supreme Court on Friday drew a clear line when it dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) demanding a ban on Salman Rushdie's controversial novel The Satanic Verses. The two-judge Bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta heard the petition, which attempted to revive the decades-old controversy by challenging a Delhi High Court ruling from last year.
Background
The matter traces back to 1988, when the Rajiv Gandhi government barred the import of Rushdie's novel citing concerns of public order. But in November 2024, the Delhi High Court noted that the government could not trace the original notification of the ban. The court therefore presumed no valid ban was in place. That decision effectively lifted the embargo after 36 years, opening the door for copies to circulate again.
Read also:- Supreme Court Upholds High Court’s Dismissal of Compensation Plea in Alleged Road Accident Case
The fresh PIL was filed by three petitioners, who argued that the book remains gravely offensive to both Muslim and Hindu religious sentiments. They pointed to passages depicting Prophet Muhammad as "Mahound," along with dream sequences mocking Islamic history, and even an episode they said disrespects Lord Ganesha.
Court's Observations
The Bench appeared unmoved by these submissions. Justice Nath remarked during the hearing,
"You are, in effect, seeking to challenge the Delhi High Court’s judgment. That is not open in this petition."
Read also:- Allahabad High Court dismisses Rahul Gandhi's plea against remand in speech-related case
The petitioners, through their counsel Chand Qureshi, had urged that freedom of speech is not absolute and is subject to limits when it threatens public peace or morality. They even flagged recent incidents where copies of the book were allegedly bought online in India, suggesting the absence of a ban was already leading to circulation.
But the court maintained its stance. The judges emphasized that they were not inclined to interfere with the Delhi High Court’s reasoning that the missing notification meant no formal prohibition was legally in place.
Read also:- Karnataka High Court Allows Russian Mother and Two Children to Return Home, Rejects Custody Plea
Decision
In the end, the Supreme Court dismissed the plea outright, refusing to order a fresh prohibition on The Satanic Verses. The Bench made it clear that the petitioners could not simply re-litigate what the Delhi High Court had already settled. With this, the decades-old dispute around the novel’s status in India now stands closed, at least for the moment, by the country’s highest court.
Case Title: MOHD. ARSHAD MOHD. JAMAL KHAN AND ORS. Versus UNION OF INDIA AND ORS.
Case Number: W.P.(C) No. 915/2025
