FCRA Licences

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

The Delhi High Court on Friday sought the stand of the Centre on a petition by NGO Environics Trust challenging its order cancelling its registration under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). Justice Subramonium Prasad issued notice to the central government and asked it to file a reply to the petition within four weeks. "The petitioner has approached this court challenging an order dated March 4, 2024 cancelling the registration under FCRA. Issue Notice. Reply be filed in four weeks," the judge said. Senior counsel, appearing for the petitioner, said the cancellation order was passed by the Centre without hearing the NGO. "They have to give us a personal hearing before they pass the order of cancellation. There was no hearing given to us. For that every ground this order has to go," he said. He also urged the court to permit it to utilise the amount lying in its accounts for payment of salaries to its employees. The Central government counsel said the writ petition w

On Tuesday, the Ministry of Home Affairs cancelled the FCRA licences of five prominent NGOs. Here is why

Yamini Aiyar, the CEO of Centre for Policy Research, will step down from her current role on March 31. Dr Srinivas Chokkakula, a senior fellow at the think tank, will succeed Aiyar

The Centre on Friday extended the validity of the FCRA registration of non-governmental organisations, the renewal applications of which are pending, till September 30. In a public notice, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said the validity of the registration of those FCRA entities whose validity had been extended till March 31, 2023 and whose renewal application is pending, will stand extended up to September 30, 2023 or till the date of disposal of renewal application, whichever is earlier. It also said that the validity of those entities which were registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) and whose five year validity period is expiring during April 1, 2023 to September 30, 2023, but have applied for will apply for renewal before expiry of the five year validity period, will stand extended up to September 30, 2023 or till the disposal of the renewal application -- whichever is earlier. "All FCRA registered associations are therefore, advised to take note .

The government has cancelled FCRA registration of 1,827 NGOs for violation of laws in the last five years, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said on Wednesday. Rai told Rajya Sabha that Section 32 of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 provides for revision by the central government of any order passed in a proceeding against any association registered under the Act. During 2018 to 2022, the FCRA registration certificates of 1,827 associations have been cancelled due to violation of the provisions of the Act and rules, he said in a written reply. There were 16,383 FCRA-registered organisations as on March 10, 2023.

According to the report, officials said that CPR's licence was revoked recently over non-compliance with FCRA norms.

The FCRA registration of 1,811 NGOs were cancelled by the government between 2019-21 for alleged violation of law, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said in Lok Sabha on Tuesday. According to the law, any NGO which intends to receive foreign funding must register itself under the FCRA. "During the last three years i.e. 2019 to 2021, the FCRA registration certificates of 1,811 associations have been cancelled under section 14 of The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 (FCRA, 2010) due to violation of provisions of the FCRA, 2010," he said in a written reply to a question. Rai said whenever any inputs pertaining to use of foreign contribution to spread terror activities are received by the ministry, appropriate action under the FCRA, 2010 and other extant laws and rules is taken.

The FCRA registration of 6,677 NGOs were cancelled by the government between 2017 and 2021, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday. Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said the registration of these NGOs under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, were cancelled for violation of various provisions of the law. He said these NGOs will not be eligible for registration or grant of prior permission for a period of three years from the date of cancellation of registration. The FCRA registration of 755 NGOs were cancelled in Tamil Nadu, followed by 734 in Maharashtra, 635 in Uttar Pradesh, 622 in Andhra Pradesh and 611 in West Bengal, he said replying to a written question. The minister said FCRA license of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) was cancelled under section 14, and violation of provisions under 11 and section 12(4)(a)(vi) of the FCRA. The FCRA license was cancelled under section 14 (not being engaged in any reasonable activity in its chosen field for

The BJP on Sunday welcomed the cancellation of the FCRA licences of two NGOs headed by former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, and said the Gandhi family and organisations linked to them can't be above law. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra claimed that the home ministry's decision to cancel the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act licences of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) and the Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust (RGCT) for alleged violation of laws has "exposed" their corruption. He also hit out at the RGF for receiving donations from controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, the Chinese embassy and the Chinese government besides several people accused of corruption charges, including Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor, when the Congress-led UPA was in power. The Modi government has acted in accordance with the law and the Constitution, he said, adding that no one had the courage to act against the likes of Naik, who is facing probe on terror charges and fled India when the UPA was in ...

FCRA licence renewal applications of 783 NGOs were also denied by the government in 2019, 2020 and 2021, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai informed the Lok Sabha.

An MHA official said that with the restoration of the FCRA licence, the Kolkata-based famed organisation will be able to receive foreign fundings and can also spend the money lying in the banks

Home Ministry released a list of more than 18,000 entities which allegedly failed to file their annual returns about foreign funding received