Lok Sabha Refers FCRA Amendment Bill to Joint Parliamentary Committee

The Lok Sabha on Wednesday referred the contentious Foreign Contribution Regulation Amendment Bill, 2026, to a 31-member Joint Parliamentary Committee for detailed scrutiny, a move that came amid fierce protests from Opposition parties who alleged the legislation targets minorities and non-governmental organizations. The motion to send the bill to the joint committee was passed by a voice vote after the government moved the proposal in the lower house of Parliament.

The proposed Joint Committee will comprise 21 members from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha. The committee is tasked with conducting an in-depth examination of the bill's provisions and must submit its report to Parliament by the last day of the first week of the Winter Session of 2026. The quorum for the committee's sittings will be one-third of its total membership.

The bill, which seeks to amend the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act of 2010, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 25 and is currently under consideration. The revised FCRA Rules, 2026, were notified by the Centre on June 22 and are already in force. The legislation aims to regulate the acceptance and utilization of foreign contributions...