S.B. Narasimha Prakash Vs. High Court of Karnataka and anr. - Court Judgment

M.N. Venkatachaliah,; Ranganath Misra and; S. Natarajan, JJ.

1. The petitioner confines his challenge to the merit of the order and withdraws his challenge to the vires of Rule 9 of Karnataka Civil Services (Conduct) Rules. The petitioner wanted permission for publication of a commentary on the Karnataka Rent Control Act. We find that rule exempts publication through a publisher of purely literary, artistic or scientific character from its purview. Perhaps the book in question would not be covered as such by the clause referred to above, but we are of the view that the High Court may reconsider its view taking into consideration the fact that the petitioner is a judicial officer and the publication is a commentary on a statute connected with law proper. With these observations the writ petition is disposed of.