Govt Suspends FCRA Licence Of Centre For Policy Research For 6 Months Over 'Violation Of Laws'

CPR said it is cooperating with authorities, is in complete compliance with law and is routinely scrutinised and audited by government authorities, including Comptroller and Auditor General of India. 

New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs suspended the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) licence of public think-tank Centre for Policy Research (CPR) for six months over alleged violation of laws, news agency PTI reported. With the suspension of the licence, the think-tank will not be able to receive any funds from abroad.

In a statement, CPR said it is cooperating with the authorities, is in complete compliance with law and is routinely scrutinised and audited by government authorities, including Comptroller and Auditor General of India. 

"CPR has and continues to cooperate fully with the authorities. We are in complete compliance with the law and are routinely scrutinised and audited by government authorities, including the Comptroller and Auditor General of India," the statement said.

Notably, CPR came under the scanner after Income Tax surveys on it and Oxfam India in last September. 

Notably, the donors of CPR included Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the University of Pennsylvania, World Resources Institute and the Duke University.

According to CPR's website, its founder is Pai Panindiker and former members of the governing board include former prime minister Manmohan Singh and former Chief Justice of India YV Chandrachud.

The think-tank has been asked to provide documents and give clarification on the FCRA funds received by it, the officials said.

Notably, the FCRA licence was last renewed in 2016 and was due for renewal in 2021.  In its statement, CPR said the Ministry of Home Affairs intimated that its registration under the FCRA has been suspended for a period of 180 days.

Following due process, detailed and exhaustive responses have been submitted to the department, the NGO said.

CPR said it has annual statutory audits and all the annual audited balance sheets are in the public domain and "there is no question of having undertaken any activity that is beyond our objects of association and compliance mandated by law".

"In light of the current MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs) order, we will explore all avenues of recourse available to us," it said.