Today, On 13th October, The Kerala High Court dismissed a PIL challenging Arundhati Roy’s smoking photo on her book cover, observing that the petitioner filed it without verifying facts and warning that public interest litigation cannot be misused for self-publicity or personal slander.
A High Court advocate raised concerns on social media about the illegal sale of cigarettes in Mumbai’s Fort area, which is officially a ‘No Smoking’ zone. The lawyer questioned how tobacco licenses were issued despite the smoking ban in the area. The post sparked public debate, urging authorities to take action against unlawful cigarette sales. In response, the BMC acknowledged the issue and assured necessary steps would be taken.