Monsoon Session: Four Bills Introduced in Lok Sabha, FCRA Bill Up for Discussion
Four bills were taken up for introduction in the Lok Sabha: the Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2026, the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, and the National Cooperative Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
The Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 proposes to formally rename the state "Kerala" as "Keralam" in the Constitution's First and Fourth Schedules, following a resolution passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly in June 2024 and Union Cabinet approval in February 2026.
The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 — introduced earlier in the session in March 2026 — was listed for discussion during the closing week of the Monsoon Session.
Proceedings in both Houses were affected by protests, leading to adjournments during the day.
Article 3: Parliament's Power to Alter a State's Name
Article 3 gives Parliament the exclusive power to form new states and to alter the area, boundaries, or name of an existing state by ordinary legislation — a lower procedural bar than a constitutional amendment, since changing internal state boundaries or names does not touch the "federal" provisions protected under Article 368's proviso.
The Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 follows this exact Article 3 pathway — President's recommendation, reference to the state legislature (which had already passed a supporting resolution), and passage by simple majority — rather than requiring the special majority procedure under Article 368.
Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957: Framework Being Amended
The MMDR Act, 1957 is the principal central law governing mineral development, mining leases, and royalty regimes in India, enacted under Parliament's power over "regulation of mines and mineral development" (Entry 54, Union List) to the extent Parliament declares it expedient in the public interest.
The Bill reflects India's broader critical-minerals strategy — securing domestic supply chains for minerals essential to clean-energy and electronics manufacturing — by easing the regulatory and fiscal constraints on exploration and lease flexibility under the existing 1957 Act.
Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010: Regulatory Framework Being Amended
The FCRA, 2010 regulates the receipt and utilisation of foreign contributions by individuals, associations, and companies in India, with the stated objective of ensuring that such contributions do not affect national sovereignty, security, or public interest.
The 2026 amendment addresses a regulatory gap in the 2010 Act and 2020 amendment — neither originally specified what happens to unutilised foreign-contribution assets once an entity's FCRA registration lapses or is cancelled — which is the substance under discussion in this session.
National Cooperative Development Corporation Act, 1962 and Article 43B
The NCDC, a statutory corporation set up to plan and promote cooperative development across agriculture and allied sectors, operates within India's broader constitutional framework for cooperatives, which was given explicit constitutional recognition through the 97th Amendment.
Key Details
- The NCDC was established under the National Cooperative Development Corporation Act, 1962.
- The Constitution (97th Amendment) Act, 2011 added Article 19(1)(c) protection for the right to form cooperative societies, inserted Article 43B (a Directive Principle on promoting cooperative societies), and added Part IX-B (Articles 243-ZH to 243-ZT) on the Co-operative Societies.
- In Union of India v. Rajendra N. Shah (2021), the Supreme Court struck down Part IX-B insofar as it applied to cooperative societies operating within a single state, holding that cooperatives fall under Entry 32 of the State List and the Amendment lacked the State Legislature ratification required under Article 368(2)'s proviso; Article 43B and the Article 19(1)(c) amendment were left intact.
Amendments to the NCDC Act operate within this constitutionally bounded space — since single-state cooperative regulation remains a state subject post-2021, central legislative changes to the NCDC's own functioning (a multi-state, Union-level body) are unaffected by that ruling.
- Four bills for introduction: Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2026; MMDR Amendment Bill, 2026; Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026; National Cooperative Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
- Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026: Kerala Assembly resolution passed June 2024; Union Cabinet approval February 2026.
- FCRA registration validity: 5 years; renewal window: within 6 months of expiry.
- FCRA Amendment Act, 2020: reduced administrative expense ceiling from 50% to 20%; mandated a designated SBI branch in New Delhi for receipt of foreign contributions.
- 97th Amendment Act, 2011: inserted Article 43B and Part IX-B (Articles 243-ZH to 243-ZT) on cooperatives.
- Union of India v. Rajendra N. Shah (2021): Supreme Court struck down Part IX-B for single-state cooperatives for want of State Legislature ratification under Article 368(2).