Thiruvananthapuram, July 1: The Kerala Assembly passed a special resolution on Wednesday, demanding the central government withdraw proposed amendments to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) and the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Rules, 2026. The resolution faced opposition solely from the BJP.
The proposal was approved with 111 votes in favor and only two against. The two BJP legislators voted against it, having had their amendment proposals rejected earlier.
BJP legislator V. Muraleedharan stated that the state assembly does not have the authority to demand changes to laws enacted by Parliament. He also argued that such a resolution contradicts the principles of federalism.
Despite this, the assembly dismissed their amendment proposals and passed the original resolution by a significant majority.
Presenting the resolution, Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan accused the central government of attempting to bring voluntary organizations and other social entities under greater control, thereby compromising their independence.
He emphasized that these changes would impact organizations involved in public welfare, health services, education, rehabilitation of the disabled, disaster relief, and other humanitarian efforts. In Kerala, these organizations play a crucial role in delivering essential services to the public in collaboration with the government.
The resolution highlighted that under the new rules, the activities of organizations would be restricted to only 105 specified areas. Additionally, new registration would be required to operate outside their registered state. Foreign funds’ subsequent installments would only be released after auditing the use of previously received funds, potentially delaying projects. Furthermore, fines of up to 30% of foreign funds could be imposed for minor technical errors.
The resolution also stated that requiring officials to disclose their personal social media accounts and published articles infringes on their privacy and violates the constitutional right to freedom of expression.
Moreover, the definition of key officials has been expanded to hold trustees, partners, and directors personally accountable. The assembly expressed concern that this would deter reputable and experienced individuals from associating with social organizations.
The assembly also raised alarms over provisions allowing government-appointed officials to take control of properties created with foreign funds if an organization’s FCRA registration is canceled, suspended, or not renewed.
Additionally, the resolution pointed out that the lack of a clear definition for “inducing religious conversion” could lead to misuse against organizations working with tribal and other vulnerable communities.
The assembly concluded that the proposed laws and rules violate constitutional rights and undermine federalism. Therefore, it urged the central government to withdraw all proposed amendments entirely.
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