In brief
In a surprising turn of events, India has lifted a 36-year ban on Salman Rushdie's provocative novel, "The Satanic Verses," due to the inexplicable absence of the original customs notification that instituted the restriction. The ban, enacted shortly after the book's release in 1988 amid fears of retaliation from orthodox Muslim groups, has always raised eyebrows for its bureaucratic origins rooted within the Ministry of Finance. This week, the Delhi High Court determined that the ban could not be upheld, as officials from the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs were unable to produce any records of the original notification from October 5, 1988, leading to a ruling that presumed the non-existence of such an order. As the dust settles, Mr. Rushdie’s text is now free for importation into India, marking a significant moment in the ongoing discourse surrounding freedom of expression and literature in the country.
