Chennai: The Madras high court has extended the ban on environmental NGO Greenpeace India Society receiving foreign contributions till October 16. Greenpeace had filed a writ petition challenging the order of Union Home Ministry of Sept. 2 cancelling its licence under FC RA (Foreign Contributions Regulation Act),2010.
The judge made it clear that the bar on receiving foreign donations would continue. “The account of the petitioner with respect to domestic contribution alone shall not be freezed. It is also made clear that the petitioner shall not receive any foreign remittance until further orders. If any expenditure has to be made, that has to be accounted for by giving appropriate particulars to the authorities,” he said.
Earlier, the Additional solicitor general G. Rajagopalan submitted before Justice M.M. Sundresh that any appeal on the order passed by the high court under section 14 of FCRA would arise by way of civil miscellaneous appeal.
In the order dated Oct. 1, the Judge had clarified that the account of Greenpeace with respect to domestic contribution alone shall not be frozen. And Greenpeace shall not receive any
foreign remittance until further orders. If any expenditure has to be made, that has to be accounted for by giving appropriate particulars to the union home ministry.
When the matter came up again on Tuesday, Greenpeace mentioned that the transfer was not effected. The interim order passed by the court would expire today. Hence, the NGO sought the court to extend the time limit. In his order, the Judge said the case should be converted as a civil miscellaneous appeal in a week, and it should be posted before the appropriate judge.
