FO Working Committee

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.”

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 Working Committee approved by the Governing Board has issued “Procedures and guidelines for the use and allocation of an Auroville residential asset in the case of departure of an Auroville resident from Auroville or the death of an Auroville resident.”

The membership of the Working Committee approved by the Governing Board (GB-WCom) continues to be questioned. An email from the GB-WCom dated January 2, 2025, welcoming Newcomers and Volunteers and inviting them to weekly sessions on “Auroville the Dream”, was signed by six ‘members’, including one member who had publicly announced her resignation a few months ago.

The RA Working Committee’s Quo Warranto petition against seven members functioning as the Working Committee of the Residents Assembly was dismissed by a judge at the Madras High Court, citing there is no clear framework for selection of the Working Committee.

The Admissions Committee (i.e. the Auroville Entry Board) reminded the community that there is currently a case pending in the Madras High Court about a document entitled ‘Auroville Foundation (Admission and Termination of Persons in the Register of Residents) Regulations, 2023’ published in The Gazette of India by the Secretary of the Auroville Foundation on behalf of the Governing Board.

The RA-WCom shared with the community a legal opinion regarding the current status of the Working Committee of the Residents’ Assembly. The opinion, after considering the various facts of the matter, concluded that “there is and can only be one Working Committee of the Residents’ Assembly, and no body of persons without the mandate of the Residents’ Assembly can claim to be the Working Committee of the Residents’ Assembly”.

The RA-WCom has issued a warning that the email address @auroville.org.in is no longer safe as it is currently under unknown administration.

Secretary: The Secretary of the AVFO, Dr Jayanti Ravi, ended her three-year term on 4th July 2024. On July 31st, the Government of Gujarat notified her appointment as Additional Chief Secretary to the Government Revenue Department, Sachivalaya, Gandhinagar.

The Governing Board (GB) has approved new ‘Admission and Termination of Persons in the Register of Residents Regulations’, and published them in part III of the Gazette of India on January 4th, 2024.

As the Framework for Selection of Working Committee Regulations appear to be in contravention of the Auroville Foundation Act which states in section 19.2 that “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”, concerned residents have collected signatures on a petition requesting the Residents’ Assembly Service (RAS) to open an Emergency Residents' Assembly Decision (E-RAD) “regarding the Governing Board’s questionable attempt to interfere with the selection process of WCom members.”

On 2nd November 2023, the AVFO Working Committee held a closed meeting at Unity Pavilion. The invitation, sent only to selected “friends”, explained “in the recent months, people have become confused by some of the stories and fears that have been spread … we want to take the opportunity to hear your views and questions and try to answer them as best we can.”

On 18th November, a meeting was organised by Community Connect for the four working groups that work with the AVF – the WC, the FAMC, the ATDC and an alternative RAS – to make presentations and answer questions from community members.

The Entry Service clarified that certain statements made by the AVFO Working Committee at the open meeting (see above) were incorrect. It was said that the Entry Board is maintaining a ‘blacklist’, of Applicants / Newcomers, and that emails asking for clarification were not being answered.

On November 29th, the AVFO Working Committee shared a letter received from the Special Officer of the Auroville Foundation which stated that the Foundation has exchanged 10 acres of unutilised land in the Auro Orchard and Hope communities for 15 acres of land owned by a private developer in the city and greenbelt area.

In our July issue, we reported on recent developments on the site of the Matrimandir lake. These included the excavation of section two of the lake, which will be 250 metres long, more than twice the length of the existing test lake.

On 18th October, K.Swarnambika, Deputy Secretary / DIR, issued a final call to those Aurovilians who had not updated their entry in the ROR, warning them that if they did not come to the office within ten days to do so, “any application after that shall not be entertained”.

The GB appointed Working Committee (GB-WCom) informed the community that a new Residents’ Assembly Service (RAS) has been appointed through an Office Order issued by the Office of the Secretary.

On September 28th, the Foundation appointed Working Committee announced that a house-to-house survey of Auroville would take place over the following two weeks.