India’s top court has agreed to hear pleas challenging a government ban on a BBC documentary critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The ban has renewed debate about freedom of expression in the world’s largest democracy.
The Supreme Court received at least two petitions on Monday, filed by activists, politicians and lawyers contesting the federal government’s ban on the two-part documentary titled India: The Modi Question.
Chief Justice Dhananjaya Chandrachud and Justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala agreed to schedule the case for February 6.
The documentary examines Mr Modi’s political journey over the past two decades and the rise of Hindu nationalism, particularly his role as chief minister of Gujarat when deadly sectarian riots rocked the western state in 2002. About 1,000 people were killed, most of them Muslims.
The second part of the documentary, released last week, focuses on government policies since Mr Modi became Prime Minister in 2014, after a landslide election win by his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.
These include bans on the slaughter of cows and eating of beef in several states ruled by the BJP, the prohibition of interfaith marriages and a controversial citizenship law that critics believe is aimed at Muslims.
The government denounced the documentary as a “propaganda piece” exhibiting “colonial intoxication”.
It invoked emergency powers last week to block distribution of the documentary on the internet and ordered YouTube and Twitter to take down links to the programme.
The British broadcaster did not air the documentary in India and refuted New Delhi's claims, saying the programme was thoroughly researched and objective.
Government critics — including top opposition politicians, activists and students — have defied the ban by sharing links to the documentary online or organising public screenings.
Dozens of students were detained at universities across the country where screenings were organised.
Authorities at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi cut off power and the internet to prevent a screening last week, before clashes erupted among rival student groups.
Opposition MP Mohua Moitra, journalist N Ram and lawyer Prashant Bhushan have petitioned the Supreme Court over the removal of their tweets with links to the documentary.
A separate plea by the lawyers ML Sharma and CU Singh said the ban was “arbitrary” and in breach of the freedom of speech and expression clauses in India's constitution.
The petitioners said the documentary was an independent work based on statements of victims, police officers and other citizens.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
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