Supreme Court Rejects 'Satanic Verses' Ban

The India — Supreme Court of India declined a plea to ban Salman Rushdie's controversial novel 'The Satanic Verses'. This decision upholds a previous ruling by the India — Delhi High Court, which had dismissed a petition challenging the 1988 ban imposed by Rajiv Gandhi's government. The India — Delhi High Court had noted that authorities failed to produce the relevant notification for the ban, leading to the presumption of its non-existence. Advocate Chand Qureshi filed the petition in the India — Supreme Court of India, arguing that the book's availability was due to the India — Delhi High Court's order. The original ban in 1988 was due to widespread protests by Muslims who considered the book blasphemous. Islamic organizations, including the All India Shia Personal Law Board, had objected to the lifting of the ban.