Delhi High Court seeks government's reply to plea by Centre for Policy Research against FCRA cancellation

The Delhi High Court recently issued notice to the Central government on a plea filed by Centre for Policy Research (CPR) challenging government’s decision to cancel the organisations’ registration under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) [Centre for Policy Research v Union of India]..In an order passed on March 20, Justice Chandra Dhari Singh ordered the government to file a short reply to the plea within two weeks.The case will be heard next on April 25.“Issue notice. Notice is accepted by learned CGSC [Central government Standing Counsel] appearing on behalf of the respondent [Union of India]. He vehemently opposed the instant appeal and prayed for some time to file a short response to the appeal as well as the accompanying application. Let a short response to the appeal as well as the accompanying application be filed within two weeks from today,” the Court ordered..CPR is a think tank which has been involved in research with a focus on India’s 21st-century challenges since the year 1973.It is headed by political scientist and former Principal of Lady Shri Ram College, Meenakshi Gopinath. Yamini Aiyar is the think-tank’s President and Chief Executive. The other members on its governing board include former foreign secretary Shyam Saran and Senior Advocate Shyam Divan.CPR’s FCRA license was cancelled in January 2024. FCRA registration is mandatory for an organisation to receive foreign donations.In February 2023, the CPR’s license was suspended for a period of six months. The suspension was later extended..Earlier, the government had also suspended the tax exemption status of the NGO. However, the Delhi High Court granted interim relief to CPR in that case. The High Court also stayed the income tax reassessment proceedings against the NGO..Troubles began for the non-profit soon after it was surveyed by the Income Tax department in September last year. Following the survey, IT reassessment proceedings started against the NGO, its FCRA license was suspended, and it subsequently lost its tax exemption status as well.The government authorities have alleged that CPR was involved in the Hasdeo movement against coal mining in the Chhattisgarh forests and that it used some of the funds received for filing litigation and complaints rather than for research.CPR, however, denied the allegations and said that it is paying the price for dissent. .Senior Advocate Arvind Datar along with advocates Shashwat Goel, Palak Vashisth, Isha Ray and Gyanendra Singh appeared for Centre for Policy Research.Central Government Standing Counsel (CGSC) Mukul Singh appeared for the Union of India..[Read Order]