New Delhi: The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh Monday declined to grant interim relief in a series of petitions challenging the decision of the Union Territory administration to ban the sale of 25 books on Kashmir’s political and social history for allegedly promoting secessionist ideologies. This means the ban on the publications will continue until the court concludes its final hearing in the matter.

The petitions had challenged a 5 August notification by the J&K home department that declared the 25 books “forfeited” under Section 98 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) for allegedly spreading anti-India narratives, glorifying terrorism and vilifying the security forces. The notification was published in the official gazette.

Under Section 98, a state government m

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