India Lifts Decades-Old Ban on Rushdie's 'The Satanic Verses'

A court decision has lifted India's 30-year ban on importing Salman Rushdie's 'The Satanic Verses.' The move comes as the government failed to present the original ban notification, leaving the court to presume it doesn't exist. The decision reopens the possibility for the book's sale in India.

India has lifted a three-decade-old ban on importing author Salman Rushdie's controversial book 'The Satanic Verses,' following a court ruling. The Delhi High Court made the decision after the government could not produce the original notification that initiated the ban in 1988, citing its untraceability.

The British author, of Indian origin, faced backlash for the novel, which some Muslims deemed blasphemous. The recent court order, dated November 5, notes that the import ban notification could not be found, leading the court to conclude no such notification exists, effectively lifting the ban.

This decision raises questions about the government's record-keeping, with neither the interior nor finance ministries responding to requests for comment. The case was put forward by Sandipan Khan, who found no official documentation of the ban during his inquiry.

(With inputs from agencies.)