CURRENT AFFAIRS | JUNE 3, 2026
After months of delay over reported concerns about ‘India’s relations with Israel’, the CBFC has cleared Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania’s ‘Voice of Hind Rajab’ with an ‘A’ certificate. The docu-drama on six-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab — killed by Israeli forces during the 2024 Gaza war — releases in India on June 19, 2026. The film is Tunisia’s official entry to the 98th Academy Awards Best International Feature Film category.
Constitutional & Statutory Framework
- Article 19(1)(a): Freedom of speech and expression — covers cinematic expression.
- Article 19(2): Reasonable restrictions — sovereignty, security, friendly relations with foreign States, public order, decency, morality, contempt, defamation, incitement.
- Cinematograph Act, 1952: §3 (constitutes CBFC), §5A (certification), §5B (principles of guidance).
- Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024: Categories U, UA 7+, UA 13+, UA 16+, A, S.
- KA Abbas v UoI (1970): Upheld pre-censorship of films.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Director | Kaouther Ben Hania (Tunisia) |
| Indian Producer | Manoj Nandwana (Jai Vinatra Entertainment) |
| Subject | Killing of Hind Rajab in Gaza, 2024 |
| Original release | March 6, 2026 (delayed) |
| CBFC certificate | ‘A’ (Adult) |
| India release | June 19, 2026 |
| Academy Awards | Tunisia’s official entry, 98th Oscars |
CLAT Angle — Legal Reasoning Hooks
- KA Abbas doctrine: Films distinct from print — greater emotional impact justifies pre-censorship.
- ‘Friendly relations with foreign States’: Article 19(2) ground — but reasonableness test still applies.
- Post-FCAT regime: Tribunals Reforms Act 2021 abolished FCAT — appeals now to High Court (Bombay HC has heard several film-certification petitions).
- Comparative test: S Rangarajan v P Jagjivan Ram (1989) — State cannot plead inability to handle hostile audience to suppress speech (‘heckler’s veto’ rejected).
Mnemonic — ‘CBFC-A’
Cinematograph Act 1952 · Board certifies under §5A · Friendly relations 19(2) trigger · Certificate ‘A’ assigned · Academy entry from Tunisia · June 19 release
Why It Matters for CLAT 2027
This is among the most likely 19(1)(a) vs 19(2) passages for CLAT 2027. Watch for KA Abbas, S Rangarajan, and Tribunals Reforms Act 2021 hooks — and the unusual ‘friendly relations with foreign States’ ground rarely tested in Free Speech jurisprudence.
Test Your Knowledge
Practice Quiz — 10 CLAT-Style Questions
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