J-K High Court grants centre more time in plea against ban on 25 books

The Court ruled that there was little justification to defer proceedings further, but accepted the request of the respondents’ senior counsel, who undertook to file objections before the next hearing and provide an advance copy to the petitioners’ counsel.

The matter has now been listed for further hearing on March 25, 2026.

In December last year, the High Court had adjourned hearings on the petitions after observing that both the J&K government and the Centre failed to file their objections despite being granted sufficient opportunity.

The petitions challenge the legality and constitutional validity of a notification issued by the Home Department of the Government of Jammu and Kashmir and published in the Official Gazette on August 5, 2025 (S.O. 203), declaring 25 listed books forfeited on the grounds that they contain material “prejudicial to the security of the State and public order.”

The forfeited works include titles by authors such as Arundhati Roy, A G Noorani, Sumantra Bose, David Devadas and Anuradha Bhasin. The list also includes works by Islamic scholars Hasan al-Banna and Abul A’la Maududi.

The petitions have been filed by retired Air Vice-Marshal Kapil Kak, Wajahat Habibullah, Dr. Sumantra Bose, David Devadas, Shakir Shabir and others. They contend that the impugned notification was issued in violation of statutory safeguards and constitutional guarantees.