What happened in the Lok Sabha

The Lok Sabha adopted a motion to refer the proposed Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC). Opposition MPs demanded withdrawal of the bill, but the Lok Sabha adopted the committee referral motion anyway. Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai presented the motion in the Lok Sabha after a similar motion was moved in the Rajya Sabha.

The JPC membership and reporting deadline stated in the motion were:

After the Lok Sabha adopted the JPC referral motion, the Lok Sabha later passed the Mines and Minerals Bill without discussion.

Opposition MPs raised a policy dispute on foreign funding regulation. Opposition MPs argued that the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 could chill legitimate foreign funding for Christian NGOs and other minority-run social welfare institutions. Congress MP K.C. Venugopal specifically claimed that the bill targets minority NGOs.

Background and earlier positions in Parliament