The government has referred the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for detailed examination, amid growing concerns from the Opposition and several organisations over its proposed provisions.
The development comes days after discussions surrounding the legislation intensified, particularly over provisions that seek to strengthen government oversight of organisations receiving foreign contributions. The Bill has so far not been listed on the Lok Sabha agenda for consideration and passage, indicating that the proposed JPC scrutiny will precede any further legislative action.
The referral is significant as the Bill has attracted objections from several quarters, including Christian organisations, which have expressed apprehension over its potential impact on churches and other institutions dependent on foreign contributions.
Earlier on August 7, Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma had said after meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah that the Bill would be taken up in Parliament on August 12 and would not be implemented retrospectively.
Lalduhoma, accompanied by a delegation of church leaders from Mizoram, met Shah to convey concerns over the proposed legislation. He said the delegation had communicated its apprehensions to the Home Minister and that Shah had assured them that the legislation would not have retrospective effect.
The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, seeks to create a designated authority with powers to take control of foreign contributions and assets created from such funds when an organisation's FCRA registration is cancelled, surrendered or ceases due to non-renewal.
One of the key provisions relates to the management of assets after an organisation loses its FCRA registration. The proposed framework would allow the designated authority to assume control of such assets and contributions.
The Bill, however, provides a specific safeguard for religious properties. In cases where an asset is a place of worship, the authority would be required to ensure that its religious character is preserved.
Another proposed change concerns penalties under the FCRA. The maximum imprisonment for violations is proposed to be reduced from five years to one year.
The scale of the foreign-contribution sector can be gauged from FCRA records. As of July 15, 2026, the FCRA portal showed 14,449 active certificates, while 22,498 certificates had been cancelled and 15,212 were classified as expired.
Christian organisations have raised concerns over the proposed changes, arguing that the legislation could have serious implications for churches, charitable institutions and other organisations receiving foreign contributions.
The Kerala Latin Catholic Association (KLCA), among others, has questioned whether adequate consultations were held with stakeholders who could be directly affected by the proposed amendments. It has also expressed concern that the changes could create uncertainty for institutions that have been operating legally under the existing framework.
Representatives of the Christian community have also conveyed their concerns directly to the Home Minister and called for the Bill to either be withdrawn or referred to a JPC for detailed scrutiny.
The referral of the legislation to the JPC now provides an opportunity for stakeholders to place their concerns before a parliamentary panel and seek clarifications or changes to provisions they find problematic.
The government, meanwhile, has maintained that the proposed amendments are aimed at strengthening regulation and ensuring greater accountability in the management of foreign contributions and assets. The JPC's examination is expected to bring greater scrutiny to the Bill's provisions before Parliament considers its next course of action.
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