Opposition members of the JPC to the FCRA bill are seeking a longer period for public comments

Zia Ur Rehman Barq was among the signatories of the letter. File | Photo credit: PTI

Ten opposition members of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), which is revising the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, have written to committee chairman and BJP leader Sanjay Jaiswal to postpone the panel’s 12 October 2026 meeting, which was scheduled to meet by at least four weeks, to allow more time to invite public comments on the bill.

In a letter dated September 29, opposition MPs said that given the wide-ranging implications of the proposed legislation, it was essential that MPs have more time to study the bill and related documents before they scrutinize it. The period for receiving comments, suggestions and comments from the public and stakeholders should remain open for at least four weeks so that organizations, experts and the public can examine the provisions and submit their views, opposition MPs said. The extra time, they said, would also allow members to consider representation before the bill is considered.

The letter was signed by A. Raja and P. Wilson of DMK, Christopher Manickam of Congress, Hamdullah Sayeed, Viriato Fernandes and Anto Antony, Javed Ali Khan of Samajwadi Party and Zia Ur Rehman Barq, Kalyan Banerjee of MAITC and James PK Sangma of NPP.

The request came on the day the second committee meeting was held. Members received clauses on the Bill from officials at the Home Office and the Department of Law and Justice (Legislative Department). Domain experts and stakeholders including representatives of the State Bank of India, counsel led by Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma and counsel from AZB & Partners and T. Nair Chambers also appeared before the committee.

The committee has to submit its report to the Lok Sabha by the last day of the first week of the winter session of Parliament.

Published – 29 Sep 2026 22:11 IST