Venugopal Slams 'Problematic' JPC Functioning on FCRA Bill
KC Venugopal flags "problematic" JPC functioning regarding the FCRA Amendment Bill, seeking wider stakeholder consultation for the sensitive legislation.
Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal has officially reached out to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, expressing serious concerns regarding the "problematic functioning" of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) currently examining the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026. The Congress leader has called for a much broader consultation process to ensure the legislation undergoes thorough scrutiny before being finalized.
Concerns Over Constitutional Rights
In a formal communication, Venugopal highlighted that the FCRA Amendment Bill is an exceptionally sensitive piece of legislation. He noted that the bill carries wide-ranging ramifications that could impact the constitutional rights of minority groups and various civil society organizations. According to the Congress leader, the primary purpose of a JPC is to gather comprehensive inputs from all relevant parties to ensure the resulting report is flawless.
"We believe that any Bill that emerges out of a JPC should be flawless, and Parliament should be assured that it has passed through a rigorous consultation process. Without ensuring that, a JPC is a meaningless exercise, and a fraud about the Parliament," Venugopal stated.Demands for Rigorous Scrutiny
The Congress leader urged the Speaker to mandate a more inclusive examination process. He specifically requested that the committee should seek:
- Written submissions from key organizations.
- Oral evidence from various stakeholders.
- Input from NGOs and charitable institutions.
- Perspectives from religious bodies and voluntary organizations.
- Legal expert opinions and feedback from state governments.
Furthermore, Venugopal emphasized the need for adequate time for clause-by-clause deliberations, ensuring the House can proceed with full confidence in the legislation's detailed examination.
Pressure Mounts on the 31-Member Committee
The FCRA Amendment Bill was referred to the 31-member JPC on August 12, with a deadline to submit its report before the upcoming Winter Session of Parliament. However, the committee is facing internal pressure as several members have already demanded more time to examine the bill and gather public feedback.
Opposition members have specifically requested a postponement of the scheduled October 12 meeting by at least four weeks. There are growing calls to extend the window for receiving comments and representations from stakeholders by an additional month. DMK MP P Wilson has also joined these calls, arguing that the current seven-day window is insufficient for experts and organizations to prepare meaningful submissions.
Current Status of FCRA Accounts
While the committee continues its examination, officials have noted that there are currently 14,440 active FCRA accounts in operation. The scrutiny of these accounts and the regulatory framework surrounding them remains a focal point of the ongoing legislative debate.