Centre Constitutes 31-Member JPC on FCRA Amendment Bill 2026; BJP's Sanjay Jaiswal Named Chairperson

New Delhi: The Centre has constituted a 31-member Joint Committee of Parliament (JPC) to conduct a detailed examination of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, setting the stage for wider parliamentary scrutiny of the proposed changes to India's foreign-funding law.

According to a Lok Sabha bulletin issued on September 3, BJP MP from Bihar's Bettiah constituency Sanjay Jaiswal will chair the committee. The panel was constituted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and includes members from both Houses of Parliament.

The JPC has been asked to examine the provisions of the FCRA Amendment Bill, consider the proposed changes and submit its report to the Lok Sabha by the last day of the first week of the Winter Session of Parliament.

Who is on the 31-member FCRA JPC?

The committee has 21 members from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha. The BJP has the largest representation with 14 members, while the Congress has five representatives.

The panel also includes MPs from the JD(U), Trinamool Congress (TMC), DMK, Samajwadi Party, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), Shiv Sena, NCP, NCP (SP) and Telugu Desam Party (TDP).

Lok Sabha members

1. Sanjay Jaiswal (BJP) — Chairperson
2. Bhartruhari Mahtab (BJP)
3. Tejasvi Surya (BJP)
4. Kamlesh Jangde (BJP)
5. Mukeshkumar Chandrakaant Dalal (BJP)
6. Nishikant Dubey (BJP)
7. Vishnu Dayal Ram (BJP)
8. Ananta Nayak (BJP)
9. Arvind Dharmapuri (BJP)
10. Anto Antony (Congress)
11. Captain Viriato Fernandes (Congress)
12. Muhammed Hamdullah Sayeed (Congress)
13. Kali Charan Munda (Congress)
14. Zia Ur Rehman (SP)
15. Kalyan Banerjee (TMC)
16. A Raja (DMK)
17. Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu (TDP)
18. Naresh Ganpat Mhaske (Shiv Sena)
19. Kaushalendra Kumar (JD(U))
20. Supriya Sule (NCP-SP)
21. ET Mohammed Basheer (IUML)

Rajya Sabha members

1. C Sadanandan Master (BJP)
2. Harsh Vardhan Shringla (BJP)
3. Ujjwal Deorao Nikam (BJP)
4. Alka Gurjar (BJP)
5. Sat Paul Sharma (BJP)
6. Praful Patel (NCP)
7. Sanjay Kumar Jha (JD(U))
8. Christopher Manickam (Congress)
9. Menaka Guruswamy (TMC)
10. P Wilson (DMK)

Why was the FCRA Bill referred to a JPC?

The legislation was referred to a Joint Committee on August 12 following strong objections from Opposition parties over several proposed amendments.

Opposition leaders have raised concerns that the changes could have a disproportionate impact on NGOs, minority institutions and organisations dependent on foreign contributions.

Some Opposition parties have specifically argued that the proposed framework could affect legitimate foreign funding received by Christian NGOs and minority-run educational and social welfare institutions. They have called for the Bill to be withdrawn or substantially reconsidered.

The government, however, has rejected the allegations and maintained that the proposed legislation is not directed at any particular religion or community.

The Centre has argued that the objective is to strengthen regulation and oversight of foreign contributions and improve accountability among organisations receiving funds from overseas.

The government has also challenged Opposition parties to identify any provision in the proposed legislation that specifically discriminates against minorities.

What is the FCRA Amendment Bill 2026?

The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 25.

The proposed legislation seeks to tighten the regulatory framework governing foreign contributions received by organisations and institutions in India.

The FCRA is designed to regulate the acceptance and utilisation of foreign contributions and prevent such funds from being used in ways that could adversely affect national interests or violate prescribed legal requirements.

The 2026 amendment has therefore become an important point of debate between the government and Opposition, particularly because a large number of NGOs and social organisations rely on foreign contributions to support their activities.

Proposed mechanism for assets after FCRA licence cancellation

One of the key proposals in the Bill concerns what happens to the assets of an organisation whose FCRA registration or licence is cancelled.

The proposed framework provides for the creation of a designated authority that would oversee the management and disposal of assets in cases where an organisation loses its FCRA licence.

This provision has attracted particular attention because organisations receiving foreign contributions could potentially face significant consequences if their registration is cancelled.

The government has presented the measure as part of a broader effort to strengthen oversight and ensure that assets associated with foreign-funded organisations are dealt with under a defined regulatory mechanism.

Government and Opposition take different positions

The FCRA Bill has emerged as a contentious piece of legislation because of the competing positions taken by the government and Opposition parties.

The government's position:

The Centre says the amendments are intended to strengthen transparency, accountability and regulatory oversight of foreign contributions. It has rejected claims that the legislation targets religious minorities or specific communities.

The Opposition's concerns:

Opposition parties have argued that tighter regulations could make it more difficult for legitimate NGOs and minority-run institutions to receive and utilise foreign funds. They have sought greater scrutiny of the proposed provisions before the Bill is passed.

The referral to the JPC gives MPs from different parties an opportunity to examine the provisions in detail and raise concerns before the legislation proceeds further through Parliament.

JPC to examine the Bill before Winter Session

The formation of the committee means the FCRA Amendment Bill will now undergo detailed scrutiny outside the regular floor debate process.

The JPC is expected to examine the provisions, consider concerns raised by stakeholders and Opposition parties, and deliberate on the potential implications of the proposed amendments.

The committee has been given a deadline to submit its report to the Lok Sabha by the last day of the first week of the Winter Session.

Its recommendations will be closely watched because they could influence the government's next steps on the proposed changes to India's foreign-contribution regulatory framework.

The constitution of the 31-member panel represents the latest stage in the legislative process for the FCRA Amendment Bill and could determine whether the government makes changes to the legislation before seeking Parliament's approval.