The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 was formally referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on Wednesday after the Central Government moved a motion in the Lok Sabha seeking a detailed examination of the proposed legislation.
Union Minister Nityanand Rai moved the motion after the Lok Sabha resumed proceedings following its morning adjournment.
According to the Supplementary List of Business, the proposed JPC will comprise 31 members — 21 from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha. Members from the Lok Sabha will be nominated by the Speaker, while those from the Rajya Sabha will be nominated by the Chairman of the House.
The Committee has been tasked with undertaking an in-depth examination of the provisions of the Bill and submitting its report to Parliament by the last day of the first week of the Winter Session of 2026.
The motion also stipulated that the quorum for meetings of the Joint Committee would be one-third of its total membership. It further recommended that the Rajya Sabha join the committee and communicate the names of its nominated members to the Lok Sabha.
According to ANI, during the proceedings, Congress MP KC Venugopal called for the withdrawal of the Bill, while Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav also expressed opposition to the proposed legislation.
Responding to the Opposition, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the decision to refer the Bill to a JPC should be welcomed, arguing that the committee process would provide an opportunity for detailed scrutiny. He also rejected concerns that the proposed amendments were intended to target minority institutions.
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The Congress has maintained its opposition to the legislation and has called for its complete withdrawal. Opposition parties have previously expressed concerns that the proposed amendments could be used against civil society organisations and minority institutions.
The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) regulates the acceptance and utilisation of foreign contributions by individuals, associations and organisations in India. The law seeks to ensure that foreign contributions are received and utilised for the purposes for which they are intended.
The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 25 and is currently under parliamentary consideration. The revised FCRA Rules, 2026, were notified on June 22 and are currently in force.
The referral of the Bill to a JPC is expected to provide Parliament with an opportunity for wider examination of its provisions, including concerns raised by both the government and Opposition over its potential implications for organisations receiving foreign contributions.
