India

Delhi HC Lifts 36-Year Ban On Import Of Salman Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses Due To Missing Notification

The Delhi High Court has lifted the 36-year ban on importing The Satanic Verses, written by Indian-British author Salman Rushdie. The court ruled that the 1988 Customs notification banning the book’s import cannot be upheld, as authorities failed to produce a copy of it.

Notification Considered “Non-Existent”

A bench of Justice Rekha Palli and Justice Saurabh Banerjee found that neither the Customs Department nor the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) could locate the 1988 notification. Without it, the court said it could not review the ban’s legality. The judges declared the notification “non-existent,” allowing petitioner Sandipan Khan to import the book.

The court also confirmed that Khan may take all lawful actions regarding the book’s import. Khan’s petition, filed in 2019, challenged the ban and sought permission to import The Satanic Verses from publishers or online sellers.

Ban Originated from Religious Complaints

In 1988, the Congress government under Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi imposed the ban, citing complaints from members of the Muslim community who found the book offensive. Since then, the ban has restricted the book’s import into India. Now, with the High Court’s recent decision, the restrictions on importing The Satanic Verses no longer apply.

Also Read: Polluted Drain From Haryana Blamed For Fish Deaths In Yamuna, DPCC Tells NGT

Gopal Krishna

Recent Posts

Delhi-NCR Faces ‘Very Poor’ Air Quality As Smog Engulfs Region

On Friday morning, Delhi-NCR's air quality was classified as 'very poor,' with a light haze…

36 minutes ago

Indian Stock Market Rallies Despite Geopolitical Strains; Buoyed By Strong Domestic Sectors

The Indian stock market displayed resilience, opening on a positive note despite escalating geopolitical tensions…

2 hours ago

Reaffirming Gandhi Ji’s Global Relevance: PM Modi’s International Tributes

Prime Minister Narendra Modi continues to honor Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals beyond India’s borders. During his…

15 hours ago

Delhi High Court Upholds AIMIM’s Recognition As Political Party

'The petitioner’s arguments cannot override the constitutional rights of AIMIM members. This petition has no…

15 hours ago

‘Democracy First, Humanity First’: PM Modi Highlights India-Guyana Parallels In Parliament Address

PM Modi emphasized the shared struggles of India and Guyana for independence from colonization. PM…

15 hours ago

Maharashtra Records 65.11% Voter Turnout In Assembly Elections, Marking A 30-Year High

The rise in turnout came with an 8.5% increase in the number of eligible voters.…

16 hours ago