Fcra

India's FCRA makes global donations to NGOs 'very difficult': US Senator

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

MHA extends validity of FCRA registered NGOs with pending renewal plea

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

ED alleges AAP received Rs 7.08 crore in foreign funds, violated FCRA

The ED alleged that AAP received funds from various sources spanning countries such as the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, and Oman

Relief for NGOs, trusts: June 30 is new deadline for registration, renewal

Form 10A is an application form filed by trusts/institutions who wish to get themselves registered for income tax exemption. Form 10 AB is filed to renew their permanent registration

CBI to question Newsclick HR Head Chakraborty in Tihar Jail on Wednesday

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,

FCRA violation case: HC seeks CBI response on Mander's plea against FIR

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

Why 20,701 NGOs lost their FCRA licences since 1976: Cause, impact decoded

To accept foreign contribution/donation from a 'foreign source', obtaining prior permission or an FCRA registration licence from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is mandatory

Delhi HC seeks Centre's stand on plea by NGO against FCRA cancellation

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

Here is why Modi govt cancelled the FCRA licences of five prominent NGOs

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

Union home ministry extends validity of FCRA registered NGOs till June 30

The Union home ministry on Thursday extended till June 30 the validity of all FCRA registered NGOs whose licences are expiring on March 31, in a relief to those whose renewal applications are still under consideration. The ministry has also given time till June 30 to all NGOs whose five-year validity period is expiring between April 1, 2024, and June 30, 2024, so that they can apply for renewal before the expiry of their validity. According to the law, all NGOs receiving foreign contributions have to be registered under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act. In a notification, the home ministry said the central government, in the public interest, has decided to extend the validity of FCRA registration certificates of the FCRA registered entities whose validity was extended till March 31, 2024, in terms of the public notice dated September 25, 2023, and whose renewal application is pending. The validity is now extended till June 30, 2024, or till the date of disposal of the rene

HC seeks response of govt to plea against FCRA licence cancellation of CPR

Justice Chandra Dhari Singh issued a notice to the central government and asked them to file a short reply within two weeks

CBI files FIR against Environics Trust for alleged FCRA violation

The CBI has registered an FIR against Environics Trust for alleged violations of provisions of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act in several bank transfers done in 2018, officials said Thursday. The central probe agency has also named R Sreedhar and Vanitha Sreedhar of the trust in the FIR, they said. According to the CBI, Environics Trust (ET) had allegedly transferred Rs 1,250 in the bank accounts of 711 people on November 15, 2020, for distribution among Amphan cyclone-affected people in Odisha but actually the payments were made to protestors for JSW agitation at Dhinkia, Odisha. "Therefore ET has funded the agitators and is involved in the various activities creating law and order issues in the country. These activities were not as per the object of trust and the same is contrary to the provisions of the FCRA Act, 2010," he said. The agency also cited alleged association of the trust with Adivasi Activist Deme Oram who was arrested by the Rourkela Police for rioting and

MHA cancels FCRA registration of CPR for charging violation of norms

"The FCRA has been cancelled via order received on January 10" and the institution will weigh its options to seek justice," Yamini Aiyar, President, CPR said while speaking to ANI

Govt cancels foreign funding license of Centre for Policy Research

CPR, a not-for-profit organisation which conducts research on a range of policy issues in India, said it was in "complete compliance" with the law and will seek remedy in every way possible

Amnesty FCRA 'violations' probe: CBI files supplementary charge sheet

The CBI has filed a supplementary charge sheet in connection with its probe against Amnesty International India Pvt Ltd and its then executive director Aakar Patel for alleged FCRA violations in which it is understood to have given details about the role of other directors and signatories, officials said on Tuesday. The agency filed the charge sheet nearly 23 months after the first report against Amnesty International India Pvt Ltd (AIIPL) and Patel, registered on January 7, 2022, in a special court here. In its recent supplementary report, the agency has charge-sheeted eight entities, including Patel, AIIPL, Indians For Amnesty International Trust (IAIT), the then directors of AIIPL Shobha Mathai, Nandini Anand Basappa, Minar Vasudeo Pimple, head of operations of AIIPL Mohan Premananda Mundkur and its authorised signatory Raj Kishor Kapil under Indian Penal Code section 120B (criminal conspiracy) and sections 11 (1), 35 and 39 (2) of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, ...

Over Rs 55,000 cr in foreign contributions received by NGOs in 2019-22

More than Rs 55,000 crore in foreign contributions were received by over 13,500 FCRA registered NGOs in the country in three financial years 2019-22, Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday. Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said in order to accept foreign contributions, all associations or NGOs have to obtain registration or prior permission under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 (FCRA, 2010). "A total of 13,520 associations or NGOs have received a total of Rs 55741.51 crore foreign contribution in last three financial years i.e. 2019-2020 to 2021-2022," he said in a written reply. Rai said a total of 1,615 applications for registration under FCRA were received in the last two years i.e. 2021 and 2022. Out of these, 722 applications have been granted and 225 applications have been rejected as on December 14, 2023. The refusal of these applications was due to not fulfilling the eligibility criteria in accordance with the provisions of the FCRA, 2010 and rules

MHA grants FCRA approval to Ram temple trust, can receive foreign donations

The home ministry has granted approval to the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra to receive contributions from foreign sources for the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, its general secretary Champat Rai said on Wednesday. Such contributions can be sent to a designated bank account of the trust in the SBI's main branch located in Delhi, he said. "The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra has been approved by the FCRA (Foreign Contribution Regulation Act) Department of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, to receive voluntary contributions under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act 2010," he said in a post on X. In a media statement issued separately, he said, "The FCRA section of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Government of India, has registered the trust 'Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra' to accept the voluntary contribution from the foreign sources." "Kindly note that such contributions can be sent to only designated bank account of the state Bank of India

FCRA violations case: CBI searches at residence of NewsClick founder

The CBI has registered an FIR into the alleged FCRA violations by news portal NewsClick and carried out raids at two locations on Wednesday, officials said. A team of agency officials searched the residence and office of NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha, who was recently arrested by the Delhi Police in a case under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, they said. It is alleged that the portal received foreign funds in violations of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) case, they said. In its probe against the portal, the Delhi Police had alleged that funds were fraudulently infused by an active member of the propaganda department of the Communist Party of China, Neville Roy Singham. The allegations have been denied by the portal.

FCRA registered NGOs to give details of assets created using foreign funds

NGOs registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulations Act (FCRA) will now have to provide details of moveable and immovable assets created by them using foreign funds. The need for mandatory declaration of assets by the NGOs by the end of every financial year (March 31) came after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Monday issued a gazette notification modifying the rules that govern the NGOs which receive foreign funding. According to the law, all NGOs receiving foreign contributions have to be registered under the FCRA. The MHA made the changes in the Foreign Contribution Regulation Rules, 2010, by inserting two clauses -- (ba) details of movable assets created out of foreign contribution (as on March 31 of financial year) and (bb) details of immovable assets created out of foreign contribution (as on March 31 of financial year) -- in Form FC-4. Form FC-4 is filled by NGOs and associations granted FCRA licences for filing their annual returns. The MHA also decided to exte

Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Trust seeks FCRA nod to accept foreign donations

Swami Govind Dev Giri Maharaj, the treasurer of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, on Monday said the trust has applied for permissions under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act to start accepting donations collected by people in different parts of the world. Speaking to reporters, Swami Giri said the trust has so far collected more than Rs 3200 crore in donations from individuals and organizations within the country. "People (Indians) living abroad have collected donations there, but we have not accepted them. We will start receiving these donations as we have already applied for FCRA permissions, and we are sure we will get the required permissions," he said. "We have so far received donations to the tune of Rs 3200 crore from individuals and organizations within the country, and the work of the temple is also complete. People are eager to contribute towards the work and we are sure there wont be any paucity of funds ever," said Swami Giri. He informed that Heritage