Through July 2026, a series of state-level and civil-society interventions signalled growing opposition to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, particularly its asset-related provisions.
On 1 July 2026, the Kerala Legislative Assembly passed a resolution demanding that the Central Government withdraw its move to amend the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act. Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan stated that the proposed modification went against the spirit of the resolution and could not be accepted, and rejected a demand by BJP MLA V. Muraleedharan to modify it. The resolution was passed with dissent from BJP MLAs B. B. Gopakumar and V. Muraleedharan. It noted that the Central Government’s FCRA directives would adversely affect the smooth functioning of voluntary and charitable institutions working in the social, health, educational and charitable sectors — organisations that significantly support government mechanisms in areas such as the welfare of marginalised communities, education, healthcare, medical aid for the destitute, rehabilitation of the differently-abled, and disaster management.
On 5 July 2026, a delegation led by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma met Union Home Minister Amit Shah to express concerns over the proposed amendment, particularly Section 16A(5), which would allow authorities to take over or dispose of assets created through foreign contributions if an organisation’s FCRA registration is cancelled or not renewed. The delegation highlighted that faith-based and charitable organisations have long supported education, healthcare and community development in Meghalaya, especially in remote areas, and urged the Centre to adopt a consultative approach with adequate safeguards.
On 11 July 2026, the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) urged Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio to press the Central Government to withdraw the proposed Bill, arguing that it could adversely affect churches, faith-based organisations, charitable institutions and civil society groups engaged in humanitarian and development work. The NBCC — representing 21 Baptist Associations, 1,626 congregations and over 748,000 baptised members — warned that the amendments could increase regulatory burdens, disrupt humanitarian programmes, discourage international partnerships, and enable the takeover of assets if FCRA registrations are cancelled. It appealed to the Nagaland Government to adopt a position similar to the Kerala Assembly and called for a broad-based consultative process involving state governments, churches, faith-based organisations, civil society groups and development agencies before any amendments are enacted.
The appeals from state assemblies, state governments and church bodies constitute an opportunity for broader pushback against the amendment and signal responsiveness of these state governments to civil society concern. They also highlight the continuing need for broader consultation with faith-based organisations and civil society before finalising legislative changes.