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Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026
The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 is introduced in the Lok Sabha. The Bill provides for strengthened regulation of foreign contributions, accountability in utilisation, and safeguarding of public interest.
Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026:
| Dimension | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Legislative instrument | The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 has been introduced in the Lok Sabha. |
| Nodal ministry | The Bill is governed by the Ministry of Home Affairs. |
| Definition: foreign contribution | Foreign contribution comprises the donation or transfer of any currency, security, or article (beyond a specified value) by a foreign source. |
| Foreign sources | Foreign sources comprise the Governments of foreign countries or their agencies, foreign companies, trusts, or societies, and citizens of foreign countries. |
| Registration ceasing and provisional vesting | Registration ceases if renewal is not applied, denied, or expired, and in such cases, foreign contributions and assets, including partly foreign-funded assets, vest provisionally in a designated authority. |
| Return of provisionally vested contributions and assets | The Designated Authority may use funds to manage assets but must return unutilised contributions and assets upon renewal, restoration, or fresh registration. |
| Permanent vesting and disposal | Assets vest permanently if registration is not renewed or the entity ceases to exist, and they must be applied for public purposes, transferred to government bodies, or disposed of, with proceeds credited to the Consolidated Fund of India. |
| Duties during vesting | Persons whose foreign contributions and assets are vested must allow inspection of records, avoid asset transfers without approval, and maintain assets under Authority supervision. |
| Appeal provision | Aggrieved persons may appeal to the District Judge within 90 days. |
| Exemption power | The central government may exempt persons from vesting provisions in public interest. |
| Prohibition on accepting foreign contribution | Prohibition extends to any person engaged in production or broadcast of news or current affairs, in addition to candidates, parties, judges, legislators, and publishers. |
| Offences and penalties | Maximum imprisonment is reduced from 5 years to 1 year, and prior government approval is mandated before investigation. |