SHILLONG, June 19: Acting decisively against rising cases of illegal fundraising, the East Khasi Hills district administration on Thursday issued a strong warning to groups and individuals to desist from unauthorised collection of donations from commercial establishments.
The order, issued by District Magistrate RM Kurbah, categorically prohibits any form of donation collection in the district without prior permission from the competent authority.
Citing recent reports of rampant illegal collections, the order states that such actions constitute a criminal offence and will be dealt with strictly.
“Any violation of this order will attract penalty under Section 308 and Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS),” the order read.
The directive comes in the wake of repeated complaints from business owners about groups distributing donation slips to shops in Iewduh and other parts of the city.
One such incident was reported as recently as April this year in Iewduh, where traders received slips from unidentified groups demanding money under the guise of donations.
Business owners have welcomed the ban, calling for consistent enforcement to ensure that commercial activities remain free from intimidation and coercion.
