The decision not to take up the Foreign Contributions (Regulation) Bill, 2026, for discussion and voting in Parliament this week should not be mistaken for hesitation on the part of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. There is little evidence to suggest that the government has developed second thoughts about the substance of the legislation.

The more plausible explanation lies in electoral arithmetic. With key state elections approaching — particularly in Kerala, where minorities constitute a significant share of the electorate — the political costs of pushing through a controversial law at this juncture may have outweighed the benefits.

Legislative timing, in such cases, becomes an extension of campaign strategy rather than a reflection of reconsideration. It is, therefore, reasonable to expect........

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