Madras HC Rejects FCRA Registration to Zen Trust
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Chennai: The Madras High Court has refused to grant registration under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) to Kanzeon Public Charitable Trust, which runs a Zen meditation centre in Kodaikanal.
At the same time, the court clarified that it was not accusing the Kanzeon Trust of having a conversion agenda.
The High Court stressed that organisations seeking foreign contributions must make full and accurate disclosures regarding the nature of their activities. It held that there could be no concealment or misrepresentation of an organisation’s religious character while applying for FCRA registration.
The court also observed that religious organisations are not automatically barred from seeking FCRA registration. Their applications have to satisfy the statutory requirements prescribed under the Act.
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A Bench of Justices G.R. Swaminathan and M.D. Sumathi held that the Trust was required to truthfully disclose the religious nature of its activities while seeking FCRA registration.
The Trust had contended that its Zen meditation activities were not religious in nature. The High Court, however, observed that Zen is a branch of Mahayana Buddhism and held that the organisation was required to make appropriate disclosure in its FCRA application.
The court also considered the provisions of the FCRA relating to the use of foreign contributions for activities involving conversion from one religious faith to another. It observed that allowing foreign contributions to be freely used for religious conversion could have implications for the sovereignty of the country.
🚨 BIG: MADRAS HC OBSERVES — “HINDUISM IS INCLUSIVE, WHILE ABRAHAMIC RELIGIONS ARE INHERENTLY EXCLUSIVE.”
— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) October 7, 2026
The Madras High Court has refused to grant FCRA registration to Kanzeon Public Charitable Trust, which runs a Zen meditation centre in Kodaikanal.
The Court said foreign…
The Bench made it clear that the statutory provisions are religion-neutral. The restrictions would apply irrespective of the religion of the organisation involved. The court specifically observed that the provisions could also apply to a Hindu organisation engaged in conversion activities, including “Ghar Wapsi”.
At the same time, the court clarified that it was not accusing the Kanzeon Trust of having a conversion agenda.
The High Court stressed that organisations seeking foreign contributions must make full and accurate disclosures regarding the nature of their activities. It held that there could be no concealment or misrepresentation of an organisation’s religious character while applying for FCRA registration.
The court also observed that religious organisations are not automatically barred from seeking FCRA registration. Their applications have to satisfy the statutory requirements prescribed under the Act.
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