The Delhi high court on Thursday declined to entertain the Centre’s appeal against an order directing it to release ₹20 lakh from the reserved funds of NGO Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), whose registration under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) was cancelled, and asked the government to seek vacation of the order through an application within a week.
The Union home ministry had cancelled the NGO’s certificate of registration on September 12, 2024, citing utilisation of foreign contributions abroad, the depositing of purported fees into the FCRA account, and mismatches in opening balances for the periods 2013-14 and 2018-19. The development bars CHRI from receiving foreign funding.
A bench of chief justice DK Upadhyaya and justice Tejas Karia instead asked the Centre to file an application seeking vacation of the single judge’s May 19 order within a week.
“Having considered the submission of the counsel of the parties, we need not go into the merits for the reason that the order passed by the single judge is an interim order, vacation of which can be sought by the appellant. We permit the appellant to file an application within a week from today. Pleadings in this matter are complete and written submissions have been filed. In case it is not possible to hear the matter on 30.9, an endeavour shall be made to hear the application filed,” the court said in its order.
In its appeal, the Centre, represented by additional solicitor General Chetan Sharma, contended that although the single judge had permitted it to present oral arguments, it was not allowed to file written submissions.
{{/usCountry}}In its appeal, the Centre, represented by additional solicitor General Chetan Sharma, contended that although the single judge had permitted it to present oral arguments, it was not allowed to file written submissions.
{{/usCountry}}CHRI’s counsel submitted that following the order, the Centre had filed an application seeking its recall, which was heard on July 10. However, the Centre subsequently withdrew the recall application, with liberty to file an application seeking vacation of the order. Despite this, the Centre later chose to challenge the order by way of an appeal.