The government has sent the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 (FCRA) to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for detailed examination. The move comes amid concerns raised by the Opposition over the provisions of the FCRA Amendment Bill. The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, has so far not been listed on the agenda of the Lok Sabha for consideration and passing.
Earlier on August 7, Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma said after meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah that the FCRA Bill will be taken up for discussion and passage in Parliament on August 12 and will not be implemented retrospectively.
Lalduhoma, accompanied by a delegation of church leaders from Mizoram, met Shah to convey concerns over the proposed legislation, which seeks to tighten oversight of foreign-funded organisations by creating a powerful designated authority to take control of the assets of NGOs that lose their FCRA licence. "We have conveyed our apprehensions on the new FCRA bill to the home minister. He assured us that the bill will not come into effect retrospectively," Lalduhoma told reporters in the Parliament House complex.
What is the the FCRA bill?
The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 seeks to empower the government to create a "Designated Authority" to take over the management of foreign contributions and assets created using foreign contributions when an organisation's FCRA registration is cancelled, surrendered or ceases because it is not renewed.
This bill also states that in case of assets that are a place of worship, the Authority must ensure that its religious character is maintained. Apart from this, the proposed legislation will also reduce the maximum penalty for violation of the Act from imprisonment of five years to one year. The FCRA portal indicates that, as of July 15, 2026, there are 14,449 active FCRA certificates, 22,498 cancelled, and 15,212 deemed as expired.
Why are Christian organisations against the FCRA bill?
The churches and Christian organisations in India strongly oppose the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 as they are raising concerns that the proposed legislation targets their institutions and threatens their civil liberties.
The Kerala Latin Catholic Association (KLCA) expressed concern and said that amendments had been introduced without adequate consultation with stakeholders directly affected by the law and added that the changes will create uncertainty among institutions that have been functioning legally and peacefully in the country.
Some members of the Christian community presented their views regarding the FCRA bill to the Home Minister and demanded that the bill be either withdrawn or referred to the JPC. The Home Minister listened carefully and noted their concerns and assured them that he would look into the matter and discuss it with other members of the government.
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Why churches and Christian organisations in India are against the FCRA Bill | Explained
