---
layout: default
title: "Centre for Internet and Society FCRA Registration Renewal (2016)"
description: "The 2016 renewal of the Centre for Internet and Society's registration under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, including its registration details, compliance requirements, and five-year validity."
permalink: /cis/fcra-renewal-2016/
categories: ["Centre for Internet and Society"]
date: 2016-10-25
created: 2026-07-18
homepage_featured: true
---

<div class="cis-logo-wrap">
  <img src="/cis/images/cis-logo.png" alt="The Centre for Internet and Society logo">
</div>

The **Centre for Internet and Society FCRA Registration Renewal (2016)** covers the renewal of the [Centre for Internet and Society](/cis/) (CIS) registration under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010. CIS applied for renewal on 31 August 2016, and the Ministry of Home Affairs approved the application in a communication dated 25 October 2016. The organisation retained FCRA registration number `094421473`, with its activities classified as cultural, educational, and social. The renewed certificate was valid for five years with effect from 12 January 2017. The renewal also set out requirements relating to the designated bank account, reporting of foreign contributions, changes to organisational details, transfers of funds, compliance with the Act and Rules, and possible physical inspection by the Ministry.

[Sunil Abraham](/sunil/) was the Executive Director of CIS during this period. As part of its documentation of CIS, The Sunil Abraham Project (TSAP) focuses particularly on the organisation's history and work between its founding in 2008 and mid-2019, when Sunil stepped down as Executive Director.

## Contents

1. [Renewal of Registration](#renewal-of-registration)
2. [Designated Bank Account](#designated-bank-account)
3. [Reporting Requirements](#reporting-requirements)
4. [Restrictions and Compliance Requirements](#restrictions-and-compliance-requirements)
5. [Physical Inspection](#physical-inspection)
6. [Validity](#validity)
7. [Digital Certificate and Verification](#digital-certificate-and-verification)
8. [Original Document](#original-document)

## Renewal of Registration

CIS submitted its application for renewal of its registration under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, on 31 August 2016. The Ministry of Home Affairs, through its Foreigners Division and FCRA Wing, communicated the approval of the renewal on 25 October 2016.

The renewal was granted under Section 16 of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, read with Rule 12 of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Rules, 2011, as amended from time to time.

The registration details recorded in the Ministry's communication were:

- **Registration number:** 094421473
- **Nature of activities:** Cultural, Educational, Social
- **Renewal application date:** 31 August 2016
- **Ministry communication date:** 25 October 2016
- **Renewal effective from:** 12 January 2017

The letter, bearing number `0300166562016`, was addressed to the Chief Functionary of CIS at No. 194, 2nd C Cross, Domlur, 2nd Stage, Bengaluru 560071.

## Designated Bank Account

As a condition of the renewal, CIS was required to receive foreign contributions only through the designated exclusive bank account specified in its renewal application.

The Ministry identified account number `9612096487` at Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited, Kotak House No. 22, M. G. Road, Bangalore 560001, as the designated account for receiving foreign contributions.

The communication stated that the bank account mentioned in the renewal application was to be used for receiving foreign contributions and that no other amount should be credited to it.

## Reporting Requirements

Under Section 18 of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, read with Rule 17 of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Rules, 2011, CIS was required to submit information online within the prescribed period about each foreign contribution received, its source, and the manner in which it was used.

The organisation was required to file a return even when there was no foreign contribution to report, in which case a "NIL" return had to be submitted. The Ministry's communication specified Form FC-4 for online submission of the return.

CIS was also required to notify the Ministry online within 15 days, using Form FC-6, of any change to the name of the association, its aims and objects, its address, or its bank account.

## Restrictions and Compliance Requirements

The renewal was subject to continuing compliance with the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, and the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Rules, 2011, as amended from time to time.

The Ministry stated that the association could not publish a newspaper registered under the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867, or act as a correspondent, columnist, editor, printer, or publisher of a registered newspaper. It also referred to restrictions concerning the production or broadcast of audio news, audiovisual news, or current affairs programmes through electronic or other forms of mass communication under Section 3(1)(g) and (h) of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010.

The communication further stated that CIS was prohibited from becoming involved in activities of a political nature.

Before passing foreign contribution to another person or association in India, CIS was required to comply with Section 7 of the Act and Rule 24 of the 2011 Rules. The recipient had to be eligible to receive foreign contribution, either through registration under the Act or prior permission from the Government under Section 11, and could not be prohibited from receiving foreign contribution under the Act.

The Ministry instructed CIS to familiarise itself with the provisions of the Act and Rules and warned that failure to comply could result in action under the relevant provisions of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010.

The renewal was also expressly made subject to compliance with the Act and Rules and to the final outcome of any enquiry or case, if one was pending against the association.

## Physical Inspection

The renewal communication stated that the Ministry of Home Affairs could carry out a physical inspection of the activities undertaken by CIS at any time.

## Validity

The renewed registration certificate was valid for five years with effect from 12 January 2017.

The Ministry also stated that the email containing the renewed registration certificate could be sent immediately to the bank identified in the renewal communication.

## Digital Certificate and Verification

The renewal was issued as a digitally signed certificate. The communication stated that it could be digitally validated through the signature panel in Adobe Acrobat Reader and that the digital signature was authenticated by a certifying authority under the Information Technology Act, 2000.

Banks were requested to verify the validity of the certificate online through the Ministry's FCRA website.

The certificate was digitally signed by Brajesh Kumar Singh and issued under the name B. K. Singh, Under Secretary. The digital signature recorded the signing time as 25 October 2016 at 13:25:48 IST.

## Original Document

<div class="pdf-container">
  <iframe
    src="https://docs.google.com/gview?url=https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sunilabrahamindia/sunilabrahammedia/main/cis/cis-fcra-renewal-2016.pdf&embedded=true"
    class="pdf-frame"
    title="Centre for Internet and Society FCRA Registration Renewal 2016"
    aria-label="FCRA registration renewal document PDF viewer"
    loading="lazy">
  </iframe>

  <p class="pdf-note">
    If the PDF viewer does not load properly, please refresh the page or download the document directly.
  </p>

  <p class="pdf-download">
    <a class="btn" href="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sunilabrahamindia/sunilabrahammedia/main/cis/cis-fcra-renewal-2016.pdf">
      📄 Download FCRA Registration Renewal Document (PDF)
    </a>
  </p>
</div>

{% include navbox-cis.html %}

<style>
.cis-logo-wrap {
  float: right;
  margin: 0 0 1rem 1.5rem;
  max-width: 200px;
  width: 100%;
}

.cis-logo-wrap img {
  width: 100%;
  height: auto;
  display: block;
}

@media (max-width: 480px) {
  .cis-logo-wrap {
    float: none;
    max-width: 100%;
    width: 100%;
    margin: 0 0 1.2rem 0;
  }

  .cis-logo-wrap img {
    max-height: 80px;
    width: auto;
    margin: 0 auto;
  }
}

.pdf-container {
  width: 100%;
  margin: 1.5rem 0;
  text-align: center;
}

.pdf-frame {
  display: block;
  width: 100%;
  max-width: 100%;
  height: 80vh;
  min-height: 500px;
  border: 1px solid #d0d7de;
  border-radius: 8px;
  margin: 0 auto;
  background: #fff;
}

.pdf-note {
  margin-top: 0.8rem;
  font-size: 0.95rem;
  color: #444;
  line-height: 1.5;
}

.pdf-download {
  margin-top: 0.8rem;
}

.pdf-download .btn {
  display: inline-block;
  max-width: 100%;
  box-sizing: border-box;
  background: #1f5fbf;
  color: #fff;
  text-decoration: none;
  padding: 0.65rem 1rem;
  border-radius: 6px;
  font-size: 0.95rem;
  line-height: 1.4;
}

.pdf-download .btn:hover,
.pdf-download .btn:focus-visible {
  background: #184c99;
  color: #fff;
}

.pdf-download .btn:focus-visible {
  outline: 3px solid currentColor;
  outline-offset: 3px;
}

@media (max-width: 768px) {
  .pdf-frame {
    height: 65vh;
    min-height: 420px;
  }
}

@media (max-width: 480px) {
  .pdf-frame {
    height: 60vh;
    min-height: 360px;
  }

  .pdf-note,
  .pdf-download .btn {
    font-size: 0.9rem;
  }
}

/* =========================================================
   Active Class Architecture Dark Mode Overrides
   ========================================================= */

body.tsap-dark-mode .pdf-frame {
  border-color: #4b5563 !important;
  background-color: #1a2232 !important;
}

body.tsap-dark-mode .pdf-note {
  color: var(--text-muted) !important;
}

body.tsap-dark-mode .pdf-download .btn {
  background-color: #1f5fbf !important;
  color: #ffffff !important;
}

body.tsap-dark-mode .pdf-download .btn:hover,
body.tsap-dark-mode .pdf-download .btn:focus-visible {
  background-color: #184c99 !important;
}
</style>