The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Centre and the Council for Advancement of People's Action and Rural Technology (CAPART) to complete its audit of NGOs and voluntary organisations and submit a report by 31 March.
The apex court also said that the funds given by CAPART and other government departments is public money and should be accounted for.
The SC asked the CAPART to act against NGOs for misappropriation.
The SC, earlier in the day, pulled up the Centre for not putting in place a regulatory mechanism to monitor funds and their utilisation by NGOs, societies and voluntary organisations.
A bench headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar directed the Rural Development Secretary and the Director of CAPART, which comes under the Rural Development Ministry, to be present before it on Tuesday afternoon with all relevant records.
The bench, also comprising Justice N V Ramana and Justice D Y Chandrachud, asked the officials to inform whether CAG audit of NGOs was carried out or not post 2009.
The bench also asked whether General Financial Rules 2005 drafted by the Ministry of Finance were being complied with or not.
The court was hearing a petition filed by advocate M L Sharma, seeking monitoring of funds given to NGOs and their utilisation by them.
(With inputs from PTI.)
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