Issue Nº430 – News in brief

In an unsigned circular addressed to all residents, newcomers and volunteers dated 11 April 2025 the Auroville Foundation stated that certain residents, newcomers, and others “continue to organize gatherings and conduct activities without prior approval” and that “those who are holding or participating in such unauthorized meetings, and any illegal and impersonating group claiming to be the Working Committee other than the one recognized by the Governing Board (GB-WCom), and those who participate in or support any activities organized by illegitimate groups, and the people impersonating office bearers in illegitimate groups themselves, shall be liable to face action and are in violation of the regulations of Auroville.” 

On 18 April, the RA-WCom responded to the 11 April 2025 circular sent out by the Auroville Foundation Office. The RA-WCom noted that, once again, the Foundation Office and the groups and individuals who are recognised by them are attempting to erode the sense of community and spirit of unity by sowing confusion and fear. It clarified that community gatherings of residents are not breaking any laws, and that it is therefore not required to obtain any prior approval. “It is fully within the rights of residents to hold meetings to share information and experiences. The fact that the Foundation Office and its appointed groups are trying to stop residents from gathering shows their insecurity in their forcefully assumed positions and in their continuing attempts to control people at all costs,” wrote the RA-WCom.

Regarding ‘who is the true Working Committee’ the RA-WCom reminded the community that four individuals mentioned in the circular as the ‘Working Committee’ were specifically dismissed by the Residents’ Assembly in its decision of May 2022 and that the three others were co-opted by those who had been dismissed. The RA-WCom also recalled the explicit provision of the Auroville Foundation Act that the RA will determine the manner of choosing and the term of office of its Working Committee. “Neither the Governing Board nor any employee or appointee of the Foundation office has any say in the selection, constitution or ‘recognition’ of the Working Committee,” stated the RA-WCom. Lastly, the RA-WCom made reference to a ruling of the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court of 4 September 2023 stating that the RA as a statutory body must be allowed to carry out its functions as per Sections 18, 19 and 20 of the Auroville Foundation Act. 

The GB-WCom invited Aurovilians and Newcomers to an Information Sharing and Joint Interaction meeting with the Governing Board-constituted Auroville Town Development Council, Funds and Assets Management Committee, Admissions and Terminations Scrutinizing Committee, Working Committee, and Auroville Foundation Legal. The meeting took place on 11 April in the Sri Aurobindo Auditorium, Bharat Nivas, in the presence of the Officer on Special Duty and the Visa Officer of the Auroville Foundation. Those who wish to view the event can do so at https://youtu.be/PdwDi8awuLM.

On 11 April, the Admissions and Terminations Registry informed the community that it had received and verified 28 applications from people aspiring to join Auroville as Newcomers together with 10 children. The ATR invited all Residents registered in the Register of Residents to share with the ATR within fourteen days their agreement or disagreement about an applicant joining Auroville. Any disagreement with an applicant’s entry into Auroville should be substantiated against the relevant provisions of the Auroville Residence Criteria. The ATR further stated that the Admissions and Terminations Scrutinizing Committee (ATSC) and the Admissions and Terminations Registry (ATR) shall, for the time being, process all applications related to Volunteers, Newcomers and Residents, but the entry or removal of names into and from the Register of Residents shall not be finalised, in accordance with the Interim Order dated 23.2.24 of the Madras High Court in which the vires of the Regulations has been challenged.

In a message to aspiring Newcomers, the Working Committee appointed by the Residents’ Assembly (RA-WCom) informed them that the entry process for Auroville is pending in the Madras High Court which has not yet given a final ruling. The RA-WCom explained that as per Section 19 (a) of the Auroville Foundation Act, the Residents’ Assembly (RA) may “allow the admission or cause the termination of persons in the register of residents…” and that an Entry Board chosen by the RA has been functioning for many years, in accordance with a set of Regulations that were created by the Residents’ Assembly and approved by the Governing Board in 2020. “There are now groups of residents calling themselves the ‘Admissions and Terminations Registry’ and the ‘Admissions and Terminations Scrutinizing Committee’, who have not been chosen by the RA. They are taking for themselves the admission and termination powers of the RA, with no delegation or approval from it,” wrote the RA-WCom, and clarified that the Admission and Termination of Persons in the Register of Residents, 2023, under which these two groups are formed, was stayed by the Madras High Court on 23 February 2024. The RA-WCom stated that “These groups and their actions are illegal and clearly go against Auroville’s ideals of human unity” and that the “Residence Criteria” which were also created under the stayed Regulations are therefore illegal as well. The RA-WCom warned that any admission process that is begun by these groups that are created under the stayed regulations may be subject to the final outcome of the case regarding the admissions process for Auroville, which is still in the courts.

On 10 April the Residents’ Assembly Service (RAS) announced the outcome of an Emergency RA Decision-Making (ERAD) Process initiated by the Working Committee of the Residents’ Assembly (RA-WCom) to formally acknowledge Residents' Assembly entities as section 19 committees under the Auroville Foundation Act 1988. The decision making process ran from 28 March to 6 April.

As an introduction to the ERAD, the RA-WCom reminded the community that in the recent ruling from the Supreme Court, it was confirmed that the Residents’ Assembly (RA) has the right to have committees formed under Section 19 of the Auroville Foundation Act (AVF Act) that will “advise the Governing Board in respect of all activities relating to the residents of Auroville”. On 28 April, the RA-WCom held General Meeting to present this ERAD and clarify the reasons for it.

The RAS announced that a total of 598 valid votes were submitted online and in-person and the number of participants exceeded the 10 per cent (239 votes) quorum required to validate the decision. (According to the Master List data, the total adult population of the community eligible to participate in RADs was 2394 as of the month of April 2025.)

The ERAD proposal had two parts to it. The first part asked residents to vote on the statement, “We resolve to formally acknowledge the following entities as ‘Committees’ of the Residents' Assembly created under Section 19 of the Auroville Foundation Act.” These were: (1) the Auroville Council; (2) the Budget Coordination Committee (BCC); (3) the Entry Board/Service (aka Admission Committee); (4) the Exit Review Group (aka Termination Committee); (5) the Forest Group; (6) the Funds and Assets Management Committee of the Residents' Assembly (FAMC of the RA); (7) the Housing Board/Service; (8) L’Avenir d’Auroville (RA TDC); (9) the Land Board; (10) the Project Coordination Group (PCG); and (11) the Residents’ Assembly Service (RAS).

The outcome was that the Residents’ Assembly formally acknowledged these entities as Section 19 Committees of the Residents’ Assembly.

The second part asked the residents if they agreed with the statement, “These groups have been supported by collective funds generated by individual residents and income generating units of Auroville. Therefore, we further resolve that collective funds, including monthly contributions from individuals, shall be used to support the budgets of these groups and maintenances for their members.” This statement was supported by 98.9% of the residents who voted and therefore the Residents’ Assembly approved it and resolved that the above groups shall be supported by the community’s collective funds. 

The GB-FAMC recently published “Procedures and Guidelines for the use and allocation of an Auroville residential asset,” aimed at transforming how housing is managed within Auroville. When read alongside the Auroville Foundation (Residence Criteria) Standing Order 2024, these changes represent a significant shift in how Aurovilians’ relationship to their homes is defined by the Auroville Foundation.

The new guidelines state that “All residents/occupants of Auroville assets are Permissive Occupants.” The earlier concept of stewardship has been eliminated. The guidelines emphasise that Aurovilians may be required to relocate based on the AVFO's assessment of their needs, stating that "Inhabitants may be asked to move to a different asset when their needs change, or if the city development requires this change of accommodation." If a resident leaves “without approval of the Human Resource Service”, the Housing Service will re-allocate their residence after a three-month notice period. For residents who are “asked to leave Auroville”, the notice period is reduced to just one month.

Frederick, an 85-year old German national who was among the first to be admitted as an Aurovilian by the Mother and who has been living in and working for Auroville for over 60 years, was denied the extension of his visa and has been requested to leave India.

Deeply dismayed, concerned residents have issued a humble appeal to the relevant authorities to reconsider these decisions so that Frederick is allowed to remain in India, which he calls the country of his soul.