New Delhi, Dec. 5 -- The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a plea seeking ban of acclaimed author Arundhati Roy's book, 'Mother Mary Comes to Me', alleging that the cover picture depicts the author smoking cigarette/beedi in violation of a central legislation.

A bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi reasoned that the use of the said picture in the book cover is in no way intended to promote smoking and that the Disclaimer in the back of the book clarifies that.

"The book, the photograph, the publisher or the author, none of these persons have anything to do with promoting cigarettes. She is a renowned author. Even the publisher is renowned. It is not an advertisement for cigarettes", the Court observed.

The Court rejected...