Delhi HC refuses to interfere with suspension of FCRA Registration of CHRI

New Delhi [India], February 15: The Delhi High court has dismissed the petition moved by the Commonwealth Human Right Initiative (CHRI) against the suspension of its FCRA registration certificate by the Central government in 2021.

Justice V Kameswar Rao observed, "I do not see any reason to interfere with the order dated June 7 2021. The writ petition is dismissed."

The bench observed that the order suspending the petitioner is in consonance with the object which the instant legislation/statute strives to achieve and has not gone in excess of that object.   

The petitioner had challenged the suspension order dated June 7 2021, passed by the Ministry of Home Affairs under section 13 of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010.

The petition said the petitioner was granted FCRA Registration in September 1993. Thereafter, it was renewed in October 2026 with validity till October 2021.

Petitioner further said the FCRA Registration was suspended on June 7 2021, for 180 days. It was challenged, and it was stated there was no violation of the FCRA 2010. The petitioner had requested urgent revocation of its FCRA registration.

It was submitted that on December 1, 2022, the suspension order was extended for another period of 180 days. On December 7, 2021, a show-cause notice was served on the petitioner.

According to the show-cause notice, the central government had authorised the audit of the account books and activities for the first time.

The said audit was conducted in August 2021. Upon the scrutiny of audited records, certain observations were drawn and shared with the petitioner through a letter.

It was the case of the petitioner that the order of suspension was erroneous on various grounds. It was stated that details of activities/projects for which foreign contributions have been received and utilised have not been given at the prescribed point 3(a) in FC-4 form in AR for the Financial Year 2028-19. (ANI)