Mass cancellation of FCRA registrations

On August 14, 2012, VANI called a meeting of Delhi based Voluntary Organisations and legal experts to discuss the situation erupted from the mass cancellation of FCRA registrations from Ministry of Home Affairs. Around 30 representatives attended this meeting which was called at very short notice.  Based on conversation the following next steps have been suggested.

•             It is assumed that these cancellations have been targeted towards the dormant or FCRA registrations which are not being used. The notices must have been sent to the addresses and those which came back un-delivered are being cancelled. To such cases it was suggested to check the address they have with FCRA department. It is possible that you might have changed your address but even then notice went to old address.  So, in such cases, it is advisable that with the copy of change address confirmation letter and the proof of your submission of returns of last three years, you can send a formal appeal to the Joint Secretary (Foreigners), MHA.

•             In the second category are the organisations that have changed their operational location but the postal address remains same. They can also send their appeal with the proof of being active like returns of last three years to the Joint Secretary (Foreigners).  The group advised that in such cases we should say that organisation is using same address and there is no change.

The group also suggested that VANI will try to collect at least five to ten dependable cases for building collective appeal to Ministry.  It was advised that first every effected organisation should exercise the appeal provision available within the law/ Act before going to court. Only those cases where proper procedures have been followed as per the provisions of Act, they can approach the court of law.

As a long term strategy the group also recommended VANI to produce a White paper/ Status note on the foreign funding in India.  This proposed document must try to answer the numerous myths floating around this issue. To discuss the modalities of such document, a separate meeting will be called later on, but now the immediate concern is to handle to problem created by this action of Ministry.