New Delhi, Sept. 26 -- The Supreme Court on Friday declined to entertain a plea seeking a directive to ban Salman Rushdie's controversial novel, The Satanic Verses, effectively allowing the book to remain legally available in India.

The plea was heard before a bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, and was filed by advocate Chand Qureshi.

The petitioners argued that the novel, which has long been a subject of international controversy, should be banned in India due to its allegedly blasphemous content. The counsel representing the petitioners cited the Delhi High Court's November 2024 order in support of the plea.

However, the high court had previously concluded proceedings on a challenge to the Rajiv Gandhi governmen...