SC dismisses plea against Malayalam novel 'Meesha' (Lead)

New Delhi : The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed a plea seeking ban on part of Malayalam novel "Meesha" saying subjective perception about the book cannot be allowed to come into the legal arena to stifle the creative imagination of a writer.

Dismissing the petition, a bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A. M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud said a book has to be looked at as a whole and not in a fragmented manner.

Holding that imagination has to have a free play, Chief Justice Misra pronouncing the judgment said that writers must have a free play with words, ideas, language, perception.

The petitioner had sought ban on a part of the novel which he contended had portrayed women and temple priests in an "objectionable" light.