Licence of Infosys not cancelled for norm violation but at request

The government on Monday dismissed a news report that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had cancelled the registration of Infosys Foundation for violating Foreign Contribution (regulation) Act (FCRA) norms.

Ministry sources said, "The licence was cancelled at the request of Infosys, and not for any violation."

A news agency on Monday had carried a report that the MHA had cancelled the registration of Bengaluru-based NGO Infosys Foundation for alleged violation of norms in receiving foreign grants.

Sources said the news was completely false and that the MHA had not cancelled its registration for any violation.

On its part, Infosys Foundation clarified that it has not violated any FCRA norm and that it was de-registered from the FCRA following its own request to the Ministry.

"The Foundation was registered under the FCRA Act in January 2016. In May 2016, the government amended the FCRA Act in the Finance Bill with retrospective effect from 2010 as a result of which the Foundation no longer fell under the purview of the FCRA Act," the Foundation said in a statement.

"The Foundation thereafter applied for its de-registration from FCRA with an additional request to cancel the FCRA registration in June 2016, and received acknowledgement from the FCRA wing in the same month," it added.

According to the statement, the Foundation has submitted its annual returns for FY16, FY17 and FY18, though it did not fall under the purview of the Act following its amendment.

Additionally, the Foundation said that it has submitted necessary paperwork to the government in July 2018 to showcase that it has not received any foreign funding.

"The Foundation has not received any notice to file returns pertaining to FCRA after April 2018," the statement added. IANS