Satprem update

On 19th June Satprem Maini was notified by the FRRO Chennai that he had to leave the country on or before 1st July, although he holds a valid visa until December 2025, since the Secretary had apparently withdrawn his recommendation to work and live in Auroville. Satprem immediately went to Delhi to meet various high officials who said they would examine the case. 

However, on 29th September the Under Secretary In Charge, Auroville Foundation, issued the following: ”This is to inform that FRRO has issued ‘Exit Permit” to Mr. Serge Andre Marie Maini who was residing at Auroshilpam, Auroville. Hence, his name be removed from ROR and access to Auronet, Auroville emails etc to be revoked with immediate effect. This is issued with the approval of the Competent Authority.”

The RA WC responded that “admission and termination of residents in the Register of Residents (and from the Master List) is the exclusive prerogative of the Residents’ Assembly as per the Auroville Foundation Act, 1988 (Section 19(2)(a) ) and the Auroville Admission and Termination Regulations, 2020. Therefore, the Secretary and the individuals calling themselves the ‘Working Committee’, which were not selected by the RA, cannot make this decision, according to the law and to our internal guidelines and mandates. The RA has not come to any decision to remove any Aurovilian, including Satprem and Maёl, from the RoR, nor has the RA delegated this power to any other body or individual.”

Subsequently, the RA WC launched a Residents Assembly Decision process on the topic of unauthorized removal of residents from the Register of Residents (RoR). 741 people voted, of which 725 voted in favour of a resolution declaring the announcements of removal as invalid and against the approved regulations and principles. 

On 23rd October, Satprem received the following from the authorities. “You were directed to take an exit from India on or before 01.07.2023 due to cancellation of your X-2 visa. It is learnt that you are still in India. You are here by directed again to take an early exit and comply with the instructions as soon as possible. Non-compliance of the above instructions, shall lead to initiation of suitable action.” Satprem left at the end of October, after a moving farewell from residents given at the Earth Institute.