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FCRA
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Saturday termed the Centre's proposed FCRA Amendment Bill 2026 "draconian", and alleged it targeted minorities, especially Christian organisations and demanded that it be dropped. Addressing a rally here, Stalin alleged that the BJP-led Centre failed to protect Tamil Nadu fishermen and it has failed in its foreign policy. Furthermore, the Dravidian party chief alleged that PM Modi has created a situation of no influence for India, even among smaller neighbouring countries. The FCRA Amendment Bill is tantamount to taking away rights provided by the Constitution and it was a serious assault on the freedom of religion and also on the people who wish to do social service, he said.
A bill to amend the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) is unlikely to come up before the Lok Sabha in the ongoing Budget session for consideration amid opposition's concerns over some of its provisions, sources said on Wednesday. In the Lok Sabha, the FCRA (Amendment) Bill was listed for consideration and passage. But as soon as the Question Hour began at 11 am, opposition members, mainly from Kerala, started raising slogans against the provisions of the Bill. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Bill, introduced in the House last month, seeks to protect national security and interest and asserted that it was not aimed against any religion or organisation. It was aimed at preventing misuse of foreign contributions, Rijiju said to placate the opposition. The minister accused the Congress and Left parties of misleading people of Kerala, the state which faces assembly polls on April 9. He said that though the Bill had been listed in Wednesday's official agenda
A legislation brought by the government to amend the FCRA will significantly tighten its oversight of foreign-funded organisations, proposing the creation of a powerful new authority to seize and manage the assets of non-profits that lose their licence. The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, introduced in Lok Sabha by Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai on Wednesday, also sought a comprehensive statutory framework for vesting, supervision, management and disposal of foreign contributions and assets through a 'designated authority', including provisional and permanent vesting. At present, approximately 16,000 associations are registered under the Act and receive around Rs 22,000 crore annually, the statement said. According to the statement of objects and reasons, the proposed law seeks to provide timelines for receipt and utilisation under prior permission. It provides for the cessation of certificate, regulating of handling of assets during ...
The Central Bureau of Investigation has begun an inquiry into alleged violation of Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act against an institution founded by Ladakh-based educationist and activist Sonam Wangchuk, officials said on Thursday. There has been an inquiry going on for some time but no FIR has been registered yet, they said. When contacted, Wangchuk told PTI that a CBI team came with "an order" about 10 days ago, saying that they are acting on a complaint from the Ministry of Home Affairs regarding alleged Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) violations in the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Ladakh (HIAL). "The order said we have not taken clearance under FCRA to receive foreign funds. We don't want to be dependent on foreign funds, but we export our knowledge and raise revenue. In three such instances, they thought it was foreign contribution," Wangchuk claimed. He said a CBI team visited HIAL and the Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL
The Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday allowed NGOs whose FCRA registration validity has expired to pay compounding penalty and fees from the FCRA bank account held with the SBI through the FCRA online portal. In a public notice, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said it administers the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 (FCRA, 2010) and rules made thereunder, which regulate the receipt of foreign contributions by NGOs, voluntary organisations and associations, and their utilisation for bonafide activities as per law. According to Rule 12(5) of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Rules, 2011 (FCRR, 2011), no person whose certificate of registration has ceased to exist shall either receive or utilise foreign contributions until the certificate is renewed. Accordingly, NGOs and associations whose registrations ceased after the expiry of the validity period were not able to make the payment of compounding penalty and fees from the FCRA bank account. "In view of the abov
The CBI has filed a chargesheet against NGO Environics Trust for alleged violations of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) in several bank transfers carried out in 2018, officials said on Friday. In its chargesheet filed before a special court here, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) named Environics Trust (ET), Vanitha Sreedhar, Nishant Kumar Alag and Prasanta Kumar Paikray as accused under Indian Penal Code sections 120-B, 417, 468 and 471, and provisions of the FCRA. An email sent to ET by PTI seeking a response on the development remained unanswered by the time of filing this story. The CBI, which filed the chargesheet after nearly a year-long probe alleged that ET submitted two forged invoices of Rs 6.50 lakh and Rs 4 lakh of a company named MAA Plasto in its FCRA return to show expenses. The invoices were not issued by the company but the NGO showed them in returns filed for foreign funds utilisation, the agency alleged. The CBI also told the special cour
The Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) of India in its current form makes it "very difficult" for NGOs to receive donations from people around the world, a senior Democratic lawmaker has said. "India has a law called the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act that was amended in 2010 and has been amended again in 2020 that makes it very difficult for NGOs operating in India to receive donations from people around the world," US Senator Time Kaine said during a Congressional hearing on 'Anti-NGO Laws and Other Tools of Democratic Repression' organised by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "Organisations like Amnesty International and others have had to dramatically limit or shutter operations in India because they do rely on fundraising," Kaine said. "But India has chosen through this act to significantly restrict the ability of organisations to operate and receive foreign funding. The law allows the freezing of bank accounts investigations, among others," he said. He said
The Union Home Ministry has announced that the validity of all FCRA registered NGOs whose renewal application is pending will stand extended till September 30 or till the date of disposal of renewal application. According to a notification, the home ministry also extended the validity of those Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) registered NGOs whose five years validity period is expiring during July 1 to September 30 and which have applied or will apply for renewal before expiry of five years validity period, will stand extended upto September 30 or till the date of disposal of renewal application, whichever is earlier. "The validity of registration certificates of such entities whose validity was extended till 30.06.2024 in terms of the public notice dated 28.03.2024 and whose renewal application is pending, will stand extended till 30.09.2024 or till the date of disposal of renewal application, whichever is earlier," the notification said. The home ministry also advised
The CBI will question the then NewsClick HR head Amit Chakraborty in Tihar Jail in connection with its probe against the news portal for the alleged violations of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, officials said Monday. They said Chakraborty will be questioned as a "witness" on Wednesday for two hours in the afternoon about alleged investments from US-based Worldwide Media Holdings (WMH) in the company PPK NewsClick Studio Pvt. One of the shareholders in the company and coordinator for funds received from WMH, Chakraborty is lodged in Tihar Jail in judicial custody after his arrest by Delhi Police Special Cell on October 3 last year under the provisions of provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, they said. They said the CBI had received permission from the special court to question him in Tihar on Wednesday. The central probe agency registered a case against NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha, the company PPK NewsClick Studio Pvt, and others on October 07,
The Delhi High Court on Monday sought the CBI's response on a plea by human rights activist Harsh Mander and his NGO seeking quashing of an FIR lodged against them for alleged violation of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA). Justice Vikas Mahajan issued notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on the petition and asked the agency, which orally assured the court that it was not going to arrest Mander as of now, to file its status report before the next date of hearing. The high court listed the matter for further hearing on August 29. During the hearing, senior advocate Nitya Ramakrishna, appearing for former IAS officer Mander and his NGO Centre of Equity Studies (CES), urged the court to grant an interim relief of no coercive action against the petitioners. Advocate Anupam Sharma representing the CBI said no coercive action will be taken against the activist till the next date of hearing. He said till date the agency has not arrested him and it was not go