Srinagar: The Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court has formed a three-judge Full Bench to hear multiple petitions challenging the government’s decision to forfeit 25 books allegedly promoting “false narratives and secessionism.”
The Bench, led by the Chief Justice and comprising Justices Rajnesh Oswal and Shahzad Azeem, is slated to take up the matter on Monday.
The formation of the Full Bench follows the court’s observation on September 30, when it agreed to consider setting up a larger bench to examine the legality of what the petitioners described as the “sweeping and unreasoned forfeiture” of the books.
Separate petitions have been filed by journalist David Devadas, CPI (M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, retired Air Vice Marshal Kapil Kak, advocate Shakir Shabir, and Swastik Singh, contesting the Home Department’s notification issued under Section 95 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
The petitioners argue that the government’s action violates the constitutional right to freedom of speech and expression and lacks any substantive reasoning.
On August 5, the Jammu & Kashmir Home Department banned 25 publications on Kashmir—authored by writers including Arundhati Roy and A.G. Noorani—alleging that they promote “secessionist” views.
Among the banned works are The Kashmir Dispute 1947–2012 by Noorani, Kashmir at the Crossroads and Contested Lands by Sumantra Bose, In Search of a Future: The Kashmir Story by David Devadas, Azadi by Arundhati Roy, and A Dismantled State: The Untold Story of Kashmir After Article 370 by Anuradha Bhasin.
Earlier, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against the ban was filed in the Supreme Court, which advised the petitioner to approach the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court instead.
