Union Government cancelled FCRA registration of NGO Greenpeace

Union Government cancelled the registration of Greenpeace India under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), 2010. This move of the government will make the NGO ineligible to receive funds from abroad, which means it may force it to close down its operations in India.

In an affidavit submitted to Delhi High Court on 3 September 2015, the Union Home Ministry said Greenpeace violated FCRA by mixing its foreign and domestic contributions.

Meanwhile, the NGO that has accused the Government of trying to shut it down and termed the action as an attempt to silence campaigns and said it will not be deterred.

The high court will hear Greenpeace plea challenging the suspension of its licence under FCRA apart from freezing of its bank accounts on 4 September 2015.

Greenpeace’s FCRA registration was suspended on 9 April 2015 for allegedly violating norms by opening five accounts to use foreign donations without informing the authorities.

The court had on 27 May 2015 allowed it to use two of its accounts for receiving and utilising domestic donations for day-to-day functioning.

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