Aizawl: Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma has urged the Union government to refer the proposed Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for wider consultation, saying stakeholders across the country should have an opportunity to be heard before the legislation is finalised.
Meetings with Union Home Minister
The chief minister said the State government had raised its concerns about the amendments during a recent meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi. Lalduhoma was accompanied by representatives of two major church bodies in Mizoram — the Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitu Committee (MKHC) and the Council of Churches in Mizoram (CCM) — which together represent several Christian denominations in the State.
According to Lalduhoma, the delegation discussed specific provisions of the proposed legislation with the Union Home Minister and submitted a memorandum to the Union Home Ministry outlining their concerns and suggestions.
“In the spirit of democratic consultation, we respectfully appeal to the Union government to refer the Bill to a JPC. This would provide an opportunity for concerns and suggestions from different parts of the country, and across stakeholders, to be carefully examined and considered before the legislation is finalised,” said Lalduhoma in a Facebook post.
Churches and civil groups press their case
Church organisations in Mizoram have been vocal about the implications of the proposed FCRA amendments. The Council of Churches in Mizoram, which groups nine major churches including the Presbyterian Church of India and the Baptist Church of Mizoram, has announced a protest rally in Aizawl on August 11. The CCM said the rally would commence simultaneously from Zarkawt and Sikulpuikawn at 10:30 am.
National church bodies including the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) and the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) have also joined appeals calling on the Centre to either roll back certain provisions of the Bill or subject it to a JPC review. These appeals were made across social media platforms including YouTube, Facebook and WhatsApp.
Political and civic responses in Mizoram
The proposed amendments have drawn criticism from various quarters in the State. The Congress has urged the chief minister to convene a special session of the Mizoram Assembly and pass a resolution opposing the amendment Bill. Civil society groups and church organisations say some clauses could affect their operations and assets, although the precise provisions of concern were not enumerated in the state-level statements cited by the delegation.
Lalduhoma and representatives of church bodies have held multiple meetings with the Union Home Minister since early July to express objections and seek reassurances. Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma has also been reported as having met the Home Minister on related concerns.
Timing and parliamentary schedule
Sources have indicated the Union government was considering the appeals even as parliamentary business progressed. The Lok Sabha had been expected to discuss the Bill on August 12, 2026, with the monsoon session scheduled to conclude on August 13. Referral to a JPC would likely require the government to defer or amend that timeline to allow scrutiny and hearings by the committee.
| Stakeholder | Action |
|---|---|
| Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma | Requested JPC referral; met Union Home Minister; submitted memorandum |
| Council of Churches in Mizoram (CCM) | Announced protest rally in Aizawl on August 11; co-signed appeal |
| CBCI and NCCI | Made social media appeals asking for rollback or JPC review |
| Congress (Mizoram) | Urged special Assembly session to pass resolution opposing Bill |
What a JPC would mean
Referral to a Joint Parliamentary Committee would open the Bill to detailed examination by members of both Houses, and allow the committee to summon stakeholders, invite written submissions and hold hearings in different locations. Proponents of a JPC argue that such scrutiny enhances transparency and gives affected groups an opportunity to present evidence and propose amendments.
Opponents of delay argue that judicial and executive safeguards exist and that the legislative process can be completed within the prevailing parliamentary timetable. No official response from the Union Home Ministry was reported in the statements released from Mizoram at the time the delegation made its appeal.
Next steps
- Protest rally by CCM set for August 11 in Aizawl.
- Possible consideration by the Centre of requests to refer the Bill to a JPC ahead of the Lok Sabha discussion.
- State political parties may seek Assembly action; a Congress call has been made for a special session.
The unfolding events will be watched closely in Mizoram, where foreign-funded NGOs and church-run bodies play a substantive role in social services and community programmes. Any formal decision by the Union government on referral to a JPC or on the timetable for the Bill was not available in the statements released by the Mizoram delegation.
