The Auroville Foundation Act and the Auroville Foundation Rules on the Working Committee

“1) There shall be a Working Committee of the Residents’ Assembly which shall assist the Residents’ Assembly or, as the case may be, the Governing Board, in discharging its duties under this Act.

(2) The Working Committee shall consist of not more than seven members to be chosen by the Residents’ Assembly from among themselves.

(3) The manner of choosing the members of the Working Committee and their term of office shall be such as may be decided by the Residents’ Assembly.

(4) The Working Committee may, with the approval of the Governing Board, create or constitute other organisations, trusts, societies or associations relatable to Auroville if the Working Committee is satisfied that such organisations, trusts, societies or associations have:

a) their headquarters at Auroville;

b) declared that in all matters relating to Auroville they shall act in conformity with the decisions of the Governing Board and that their main object is to promote the ideals laid down in the Charter of Auroville proclaimed by The Mother on the 28th day of February, 1968.”

The Auroville Foundation Rules 1997 state [in brief, eds.] that the Governing Board has to consult the Working Committee (1) when it wishes to enter into agreements with the government, public or private organizations or individuals; (2) when acquiring by purchase, lease, gift or otherwise any immoveable property; (3) when investing the funds of the Foundation in securities as may be determined by the Governing Board; (4) when taking over and acquiring by purchase, gift, or otherwise from foreign nationals and international non-Governmental Organisations moveable and immoveable properties; (5) when selling, transferring, leasing or otherwise disposing of any immovable property of the Foundation, on the condition that no property of the Foundation shall be sold without the previous sanction of the Central Government if the value is more than rupees five lakhs; and (6) for borrowing on the security of the properties of Auroville.

Consultations have to be completed within a period of sixty days and the decision of the Governing Board after such consultation shall be final; in emergency matters the consultation process may be completed in a week’s time.