‘Current Legal Framework for Civil Society’ & ‘Nonprofit Legal Reform in India’
The International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL) is pleased to announce the publication of two papers by Noshir Dadrawala and by Prof. Mark Sidel that explore the legal environment for Indian civil society. The papers were commissioned for workshops on Indian civic space held in December of 2018.
The research paper titled: “Current Legal Framework for Civil Society in India”, written by Noshir H. Dadrawala, CEO, Centre for Advancement of Philanthropy, provides a detailed analysis of the regulation of nonprofits in India. The report focuses on the obstacles that nonprofits face as a result of onerous regulation. These include challenges around registration and termination, as well as legal barriers surrounding political activity, assembly, and foreign funding.
The Research paper titled: “Nonprofit Legal Reform in India”: written by Prof. Mark Sidel, elaborates the legal treatment of for-profit entities and other approaches to the reform issue by comparing the regulation of nonprofits in India to the regulation of for-profit enterprises. It explores whether reform efforts for the nonprofit sector in India could be aided by adopting regulatory practices, appropriately modified, applied to the for-profit sector.
Both Mr. Dadrawala and Prof. Sidel are members of the Advisory Board of ICNL and Mr. Dadrawala was formally a Director on the Board of ICNL till he completed his two terms of office in June 2018.
Civil society in India is noted for its vibrancy and innovation. However, India’s legal framework undercuts the sector in critical ways. For example, over-bearing registration and reporting requirements, such as the Foreign Contributions (Regulation) Act, and government intrusion undermine the ability of nonprofits to contribute to Indian society. To read more please:
Download the full Current Legal Framework for Civil Society in India report here, and a one page summary here.
Download the full Nonprofit Legal Reform in India report here, and a one page summary here.