{"id":39504,"date":"2022-01-22T11:50:32","date_gmt":"2022-01-22T06:20:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/?p=39504"},"modified":"2022-01-22T11:52:42","modified_gmt":"2022-01-22T06:22:42","slug":"ngo-files-plea-in-hc-for-relaxing-provisions-of-fcra-certification-cancellation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/ngo-files-plea-in-hc-for-relaxing-provisions-of-fcra-certification-cancellation\/","title":{"rendered":"NGO files plea opposing provisions of FCRA certification cancellation in Andhra Pradesh HC"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap\">A writ petition has been filed before the High court in Andhra Pradesh opposing the constitutional validity of specific provisions cited under FCR, Act related to canceling the <a href=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/fcra-registration\"><strong>FCRA certification<\/strong><\/a>. The hearing shall come to effect next month. In the meantime, the HC has sought the complete paper book of the subject matter pending before the Apex court to avert overlapping proceedings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"cursor:pointer\">Page Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/ngo-files-plea-in-hc-for-relaxing-provisions-of-fcra-certification-cancellation\/#Whats_in_the_petition\" >What&#8217;s\nin the petition?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/ngo-files-plea-in-hc-for-relaxing-provisions-of-fcra-certification-cancellation\/#Underlying_Facts_about_the_petitioner_and_FCRA_norms\" >Underlying\nFacts about the petitioner and FCRA norms<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/ngo-files-plea-in-hc-for-relaxing-provisions-of-fcra-certification-cancellation\/#Provisions_for_cancellation_of_FCRA_certification\" >Provisions\nfor cancellation of FCRA certification<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/ngo-files-plea-in-hc-for-relaxing-provisions-of-fcra-certification-cancellation\/#Conclusion\" >Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Whats_in_the_petition\"><\/span>What&#8217;s\nin the petition?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>The\npetition states that the Section 14(1) (d), 14(3), &amp; 15 under Foreign\nContribution Regulation Act, 2010 &amp; rule 15 under Foreign Contribution\nRegulation rules, 2015 are breaching the constitutional rights of petitioner\navailable under Articles 14, 19, &amp; 21 of the constitution.<\/li><li>The plea\nalso opposes the notification released by the MHA on 18\/Oct\/2019, which revoked\nthe petitioner&#8217;s FCRA certification u\/s 14 for non-filing of returns for FY\n2017-18 without an apt hearing.<\/li><li>According\nto the petition, the petitioner was penalized by authority for non-filing of\nreturns for FY 2017-18. It was unintentional conduct, and despite complying\nwith relevant penal provisions, the authority canceled his re-registration\napplication as per the MHA&#8217;s scheme. Cancellation of application further led to\nthe closure of bank account, which was utilized to receive the overseas\ncontribution.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Underlying_Facts_about_the_petitioner_and_FCRA_norms\"><\/span>Underlying\nFacts about the petitioner and FCRA norms<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>The petitioner is a registered charitable society, operational in AP for more than two decades. It claims to be dependent on overseas contributions to executing its undertaking, including staff hiring, aiding communities via charitable work, and rendering relief during an ongoing pandemic. <\/li><li>The <strong>Foreign Contribution Regulation Act<\/strong><sup><a href=\"https:\/\/fcraonline.nic.in\/home\/index.aspx\"><strong>[1]<\/strong><\/a><\/sup> regulates the matter pertaining to foreign contribution in India. Section 11 states that no individual having a definite economic, cultural, religious, educational, or social program shall accept cross-border contribution unless it secures consent from GOI.<\/li><li>Section 18 of FCRA read with Rule 17 of FCRA rules states that every individual with a registration certificate must disclose the entire particulars of foreign contribution via annual return filing. While doing so, he\/she must enclose details such as funding source, purpose, amount, and ways in which such fund is being utilized. The section mandates the filing of annual returns within nine months of the closure of FY.<\/li><li>The FCRA certification had been under the possession of the petitioner since 2003. But after the release of the notification dated 18\/Oct\/2019, the said license failed to sustain its validity due to the non-filing of annual return for the financial year 2017-18.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Provisions_for_cancellation_of_FCRA_certification\"><\/span>Provisions\nfor cancellation of FCRA certification<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Section 14(1) of FCRA provides that the\ncertificate shall be subjected to cancellation imposed by the Government for\nvarious grounds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>One\nof the grounds cited under clause (d) is license holder has breached any of the\nunderlying provisions of this Act or rules or orders released thereunder.<\/li><li>Section\n14(3) states that &#8220;any individual whose registration has been subjected to\ncancellation under this section shall stand ineligible for registration or\ngrant of prior consent for three years from the cancellation date of such\ncertificate.<\/li><li>Section\n15 of the said Act provides the provisions for the management of foreign\ncontributions of the person whose registration has been canceled. Such a person\nmay vest in such authority as sets out by the central Government. The\nprovisions also confer the prescribed authority the power to administer\nundertakings of a person whose certificate has been canceled.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span>Conclusion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The said petition came out a serious concern for NGOs across India. It shows that the prevailing norms under FCRA are becoming stiffer every passing year, consequently hampering the operational ability of NGOs. NGOs are the helping hand of the Government and have made remarkable contributions in battling the Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, such restriction on FCRA certification will undermine their ability to operate seamlessly and provide relief to needy ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"text-left\"><b>Read our Article<\/b>:<mark style=\"background: #fffd03 !important;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/online-renewal-of-fcra-registration\/\">Online Renewal of FCRA Registration: A Step by Step Process<\/a><\/mark><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A writ petition has been filed before the High court in Andhra Pradesh opposing the constitutional validity of specific provisions cited under FCR, Act related to canceling the FCRA certification. The hearing shall come to effect next month. In the meantime, the HC has sought the complete paper book of the subject matter pending before [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":39505,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3],"tags":[2086],"acf":{"service_id":"13"},"authorName":"Pankaj Tyagi","authorImageUrl":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/MicrosoftTeams-image-42.jpg","authorDescription":"Pankaj has a diverse experience of writing research papers, blog, and articles during his college time. Earlier, he was working as a tax consultant in a financial firm, but his interest in writing drives him to pursue a career in the writing field.","postViews":3062,"readingTime":3,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39504"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39504"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39504\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39515,"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39504\/revisions\/39515"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39505"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39504"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39504"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39504"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}