Courtroom Drama: Smoking Controversy Engulfs Arundhati Roy's Book Cover
The Kerala High Court was addressed about Arundhati Roy's book, which bears a disclaimer against smoking, following a petition about its cover image depicting smoking. The court questioned the petitioner, citing available statutory remedies, and noted the presence of a disclaimer by the publisher.
- Country:
- India
The Kerala High Court heard arguments over the cover image of Arundhati Roy's book, 'Mother Mary Come to Me,' which depicts the author smoking. Penguin Random House India, the publisher, noted that the book contains a disclaimer about smoking on the back cover.
A Kochi-based lawyer, Rajasimhan, petitioned to ban the book's sale and display, claiming the cover image lacked statutory health warnings and violated the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act. In response, a bench led by Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji questioned the petitioner's due diligence.
The publisher argued that the petition either overlooked or ignored the disclaimer stating 'any depiction of smoking is for representational purposes.' The case, labeled as a public interest litigation, awaits further hearing on October 7, with time granted for the petitioner's legal instructions.
Google News