Delhi HC notice to Home Ministry for inaction on foreign funding

Mar 22, 2017 by LawZ Magazine in News

NEWS SCAN

In what could possibly be an ominous portent for the ruling party and the opposition, the Delhi High Court has issued a showcause notice to the Union Home Ministry for not following its earlier order to take action against the BJP and the Congress for accepting donations from “foreign sources”— despite a ban as per rules. The matter pertains to the court order dated March 28, 2014, when the court said both the BJP and the Indian National Congress (INC) had violated the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), 1976. Both the parties had accepted donations from Vedanta Ltd subsidiaries, Sterlite and Sesa Goa Ltd. These donations came under the ambit of “foreign sources,” the court had said.

Interpreting the FCRA in the light of donations made to political parties, the court directed the Union Home Secretary to re-observe the receipts of political parties from companies or corporations and take action as per law within six months.

The court also observed while hearing the writ petition — filed underscoring the donations to political parties only up to 2009 — that the amendment of the relevant provisions through the new FERA 2010 would not apply. As the directions were not followed, the petitioners filed a contempt petition in March 2017. Issuing showcause notice, Justice Manhmohan, Tuesday, asked the Union ministry to file its reply within four weeks. The matter has been posted to July 20 for further hearing.

As carried in Indian Express on 22.03.17