Archive · 5 Dec 2025
Supreme Court Rejects Plea Against Arundhati Roy's Book Cover
The Supreme Court of India recently decided not to ban a book written by Arundhati Roy.
The book's cover shows her smoking a 'bidi' or cigarette, which someone named Rajasimhan thought was against the law.
The court said that the book and its author did not break any rules about advertising tobacco.
They also said that the book has a warning and is meant for people who want to read it, not to promote smoking.
The court agreed with a earlier decision by a lower court and did not see any reason to change it.
The Kerala High Court had also criticized the petitioner for misusing the public-interest litigation mechanism and for not properly examining the book or the legal framework.
The Supreme Court dismissed a plea to ban Arundhati Roy's book 'Mother Mary Comes to Me' over its cover showing her smoking a 'bidi' or cigarette.
The petitioner, Rajasimhan, argued that the book cover violated the law by promoting tobacco use.
The court found that neither Roy nor the publisher violated the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003.
The bench noted that the book has a warning and is not an advertisement for tobacco products.
The Supreme Court agreed with the Kerala High Court's earlier dismissal of the plea, which criticized the petitioner for misusing the public-interest litigation mechanism.
- Who
- Rajasimhan (petitioner), Arundhati Roy (author), Supreme Court bench (Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi)
- What
- A plea to ban the sale, circulation, and display of Arundhati Roy's book 'Mother Mary Comes to Me' over its cover showing her smoking a 'bidi' or cigarette
- When
- The Supreme Court dismissed the plea on Friday (specific date not mentioned)
- Where
- Supreme Court of India
- Why
- The petitioner claimed the book cover violated the law by promoting tobacco use, but the court found no violation of the relevant act
- Petitioner
- Rajasimhan
- Book Title
- Mother Mary Comes to Me
- Author
- Arundhati Roy
- Publisher
- Penguin Random House India
- Law Cited
- Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003
- Court's Decision
- Dismissed the plea
- Bench Members
- Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi
- Kerala High Court's View
- The PIL was misconceived, legally unsustainable, and filed without minimal effort to ascertain the facts.
Sources
Supreme Court rejects plea against image of Arundhati Roy smoking on ‘Mother Mary Comes to Me’ book cover
SC rejects plea challenging Arundhati Roy’s book cover showing her smoking
‘This is not an advertisement’: Supreme Court dismisses plea alleging Arundhati Roy’s book cover promoted smoking
