New delhi: The Indian Supreme Court has dismissed a petition seeking a ban on the sale, circulation, and display of renowned author Arundhati Roy's book, Mother Mary Comes to Me, terming the plea as 'publicity litigation.'

According to reporter, a Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi rejected petitioner Rajasimhan's appeal against the Kerala High Court's earlier dismissal of his PIL. The Supreme Court observed, 'This is not an advertisement. You may disagree with the views of the author, but that does not mean such a case can lie.'

The petitioner had claimed that the book's cover, depicting Arundhati Roy smoking, violated the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003. The Bench, however, noted that Roy had not promoted smoking in any way and that the book's readership was limited to those who chose to buy and read it.

The court further warned against filing petitions purely for publicity, emphasizing that Roy's literary work did not violate Section 5 of the Act. Chief Justice Surya Kant remarked, 'She is a renowned author. She has not promoted such a thing. There is a warning in the book, and she is a prominent person as well. Why do such a thing for publicity?'