New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Centre seeking its response to a PIL challenging the amendment in Foreign Contribution Regulation Act to absolve BJP and Congress for taking foreign funding in violation of FCRA.
The bench after hearing counsel Prashant Bhushan, issued notice to the Centre on the petition filed by Association of Democratic Rights and former bureaucrat E.A.S. Sarma challenging the amendments brought about in 2016 and 2018 with retrospective effect to protect the two major political parties.
The petitioners said the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 1976 was enacted by the Parliament to serve as a shield in legislative armoury, in conjunction with other laws like the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1973, and insulate the sensitive areas of national life like - journalism, judiciary and politics from extraneous influences from outside the country.
It imposed prohibition on candidates for election from accepting foreign contribution from foreign sources.
