Section 32 FCRA 2010: Revision of Orders by Central Government
Section 32 of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 gives the Central Government a revisional power over certain orders passed under the Act. It also permits an eligible registered person to seek revision, subject to limitation, the status of any appeal and the prescribed fee.
Section 32 - Revision of orders by Central Government
Sub-section (1): The Central Government may, either on its own motion or on an application for revision by a person registered under the Act, call for and examine the record of a proceeding in which an order has been passed by it. It may make, or cause to be made, an inquiry and may pass such order as it thinks fit, subject to the Act.
Sub-section (2): The Central Government cannot exercise suo motu revision under this section where the order was made more than one year earlier.
Sub-section (3): An applicant seeking revision must apply within one year from the date on which the order was communicated to the applicant or the date on which the applicant otherwise came to know of it, whichever is earlier. The Central Government may admit a delayed application where sufficient cause prevented filing within that period.
Sub-section (4): Revision is not available where an appeal lies and the appeal period has not expired, unless the right of appeal has been waived. Revision is also unavailable where an appeal has already been filed under the Act.
Sub-section (5): A revision application must be accompanied by the prescribed fee.
Explanation: An order by the Central Government declining to interfere is deemed not to be an order prejudicial to the person for the purposes of Section 32.
The official statutory text should be consulted for exact wording. Section 32 is part of Chapter VII of the FCRA 2010, dealing with appeals and revision.
Time limit for revision under Section 32
For an application made by the registered person, the normal limitation period is one year. The starting point is the earlier of the date on which the impugned order was communicated and the date on which the person otherwise acquired knowledge of it.
The proviso to Section 32(3) gives the Central Government power to admit a revision application after the one-year period if it is satisfied that the applicant was prevented by sufficient cause from filing within time. A delayed application should therefore clearly explain the delay and place supporting material on record where available.
Revision and the right of appeal
Section 32(4) prevents revision from being used in parallel with an available or pending statutory appeal. Where an appeal lies, revision cannot ordinarily be entertained while the time for filing that appeal is still running, unless the person has waived the right of appeal. Revision is also barred where an appeal has already been filed under the FCRA.
Rule 20 of the FCR Rules, 2011: fee and procedure
Section 32(5) leaves the amount and manner of the fee to the Rules. Rule 20, as substituted in 2020, provides for a revision application to the Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, New Delhi and prescribes a fee of Rs. 3,000, payable through the payment gateway specified by the Central Government.
The later Ministry of Home Affairs online-filing instructions require the revision application to be submitted electronically through the FCRA portal. The application itself may be prepared on plain paper, signed, scanned and uploaded with the justification for revision and supporting documents, if any.
How to file a Section 32 revision application
- Identify the order sought to be revised and confirm that Section 32 revision is available in view of Section 32(4).
- Calculate the one-year limitation period under Section 32(3). If filing late, set out the sufficient cause for condonation of delay.
- Prepare a signed revision application on plain paper stating the material facts, the order challenged, grounds for revision and the relief requested.
- Keep a copy of the impugned order and relevant supporting documents ready for upload.
- Use the official FCRA portal and select the service for a revision application under Section 32.
- Upload the signed application and supporting documents and pay the prescribed Rs. 3,000 fee through the specified online payment gateway.
- Preserve the online acknowledgement and payment record. The MHA guidance states that a physical copy need not be sent after electronic filing.
What should a revision application contain?
There is no separate statutory form for a Section 32 revision application. For clarity, the application should ordinarily identify the applicant and FCRA registration details, specify the impugned order and its date of communication or knowledge, explain maintainability and limitation, state the grounds for interference, refer to supporting documents and clearly set out the relief sought. Where limitation has expired, the reasons relied upon as sufficient cause should be specifically pleaded.
Official FCRA resources
For the latest filing interface, notifications and procedural instructions, use the official Ministry of Home Affairs FCRA resources linked in the sidebar. Applicants should verify the portal requirements at the time of filing because electronic procedures can change independently of the statutory text.
Article updated: 27 September 2026. This page is an informational explanation of Section 32 and does not replace the statutory text, applicable rules or case-specific legal advice.