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The Jammu and Kashmir administration has banned 25 books, including works by acclaimed author Arundhati Roy and prominent constitutional expert AG Noorani, alleging that they promote “false narratives” and “secessionism” in the Union Territory.

The decision, formally issued by the J&K Home Department, also orders the forfeiture of all listed publications. The banned books, authorities claim, were found to be part of a "systemic dissemination of false narratives and secessionist literature" under the guise of historical or political analysis, reported NDTV. 

The government’s directive, based on what it describes as credible intelligence and a subsequent investigation, cites provisions under the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, declaring the books liable to be forfeited. The administration further invokes Sections 152, 196, and 197 of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, stating the material “excites secessionism” and threatens the “sovereignty and integrity of India.”

Books Banned By J&K Admin

Among the banned works is The Kashmir Dispute 1947–2012 by AG Noorani, a towering figure in Indian constitutional law known for his detailed analysis of Kashmir’s legal and political history post-accession. Arundhati Roy’s Azadi, a powerful essay collection published by Penguin India in 2020, has also been outlawed in the region. 

British historian Victoria Schofield’s Kashmir in Conflict: India, Pakistan and the Unending War, which explores decades of political tension in the Valley, is another title on the list. The ban further includes Contested Lands and Kashmir at the Crossroads, both authored by Sumantra Bose, a professor at the London School of Economics who has written extensively on Kashmir. 

The Dismantled State: The Untold Story of Kashmir After 370, by Anuradha Bhasin, executive editor of the Kashmir Times, has also been proscribed for its critical examination of the post-Article 370 scenario. Additionally, the list names Law & Conflict Resolution, co-authored by Piotr Balcerowicz and Agnieszka Kuszewska, citing its alleged seditious undertones.