24/09/2026
Srinagar, Sep 23: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said the elected government in the Union Territory has no role in deciding whether books should be banned under the present administrative arrangement, and questioned whether banning books was the way forward in a democracy.
His remarks came a day after the J&K government informed the Legislative Assembly that 21.81 lakh books and publications had been screened, with 4,249 non-banned books withdrawn from circulation and 518 copies of 19 already banned titles also removed. Another 1,752 books were referred for expert examination.
"I have my own views on whether books should be banned or not. But unfortunately, in the current system, the elected government doesn't get to decide these things," Abdullah told reporters.
He said the issue raised a wider question about the role of book bans in a democratic society and indicated that the elected government would review the matter if the administrative arrangement changed.
The Ch...