RAD (Residents’ Assembly Decision)

On 11 February it was announced that Auroville’s Residents' Assembly (RA) has approved the revised mandate of the Residents’ Assembly Service. 359 residents of Auroville voted online and in-person, with 355 votes in favour and 4 against.

The Working Committee selected by the Residents’ Assembly (RA-WCom) called for an emergency decision of the Residents’ Assembly (RAD) regarding the sales and exchanges of Auroville owned lands.

The ERC, which has been meeting on a weekly basis since its formation in January 2024, reported that a positive and harmonious group dynamic has been established and that the group has focused on studying the Exit Review Policy which was drafted a few years ago but which was never approved by the RA.

In early February, before the High Court passed its interim order, an Emergency Residents' Assembly Decision (RAD) had been initiated through a petition signed by more than 300 members of the Residents’ Assembly (RA) to approve or disapprove the following resolution:

Concerned residents have initiated a call for an Emergency Residents’ Assembly decision on (1) extending the emergency functions of the Working Committee of the Residents’ Assembly (RA-WCom) and (2) authorising the RA-WCom to do the work of the Funds and Assets Management Committee (RA-FAMC) of the Residents’ Assembly.

In response to the publication of the new Regulations, the RA-WCom initiated an Emergency Residents' Assembly Decision-making process. The residents were asked to pass a resolution that the new Regulations are an overreach by the GB and usurp the powers given to the Residents’ Assembly as per the Foundation Act, and that the Residents’ Assembly asserts its right to carry out its functions as detailed in the Auroville Foundation Act.

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.”

The RA-WCom informed the community that, as the Hon'ble Madras High Court has recently re-affirmed that the Residents' Assembly (RA) is a statutory body and cannot be restricted in carrying out its functions as per the Auroville Foundation Act, the RA has to constitute the “Termination Committee” (aka the Exit Review Group) as specified in the Auroville Foundation (Admission and Termination of Persons in the Register of Residents) Regulations, 2020.

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.

The Residents’ Assembly Service (RAS) announced that the Residents’ Assembly of Auroville had approved two proposals with majority vote. The proposal that the RA can make an emergency Residents’ Assembly Decision (RAD) at a petition signed by at least 300 residents was approved by 402 participants (98% of all votes cast).

In order to prioritise the upcoming decision making events of the Residents’ Assembly, the Auroville Council organised a poll asking Aurovilians to express their priorities from a list of ten topics. 132 submissions were received online, by mail or on paper.

Auroville’s Residents’ Assembly Service is tasked with organizing decisions of the Residents’ Assembly of the Auroville Foundation. Lately their job has become very challenging.

Over the years, the community has selected members to serve in its major working groups. In the early years, this was comparatively simple, as there were few residents and only one or two such groups, and everybody knew each other well.

Confronted with many requests for various decisions of the Residents’ Assembly, the Auroville Council organized a poll to help it and the Residents’ Assembly Service determine which topics for Residents’ Assembly Decisions (RADs) the community felt to be the most important at this moment in time.

In a well-attended meeting of the Residents' Assembly (RA) held on January 2nd, a proposed decision to be made by the RA (RAD) was formulated:

A total of 343 registered residents participated in an Emergency Residents Assembly Decision (RAD) called by the Working Committee to decide if a so-called Provisional RAD process is to be used until a new RAD process is in place, which, it is hoped, will manifest within 9 months.

What could be the next steps? For some it is obvious. “We’ve had so many studies,” said one Aurovilian. “Mother signed the Galaxy, we had two years of discussion which ended with the Master Plan.

In February this year, the Residents’ Assembly Service (RAS) announced its wish to pause all Residents’ Assembly Decision-making (RAD) processes until a review is made of the existing decision-making policy and the RAS mandate.

A year ago, in February 2020, there was an attempt to survey a route through the Youth Centre and Bliss forest for the laying of a High Tension cable.

A decision of the Residents’ Assembly called by the Working Committee on the proposed new Entry Policy failed due to a lack of quorum (10% of adult residents).

On September 23, 2017, a revised Entry Policy was ratified by the Residents Assembly. Of the 222 Residents who participated in the decision-making process, 85% agreed with the new policy.

By a majority vote of 214 ‘yes’ against 23 ‘no’, the Residents Assembly has approved an appeal process. Individuals can now ask an Appeal Body to review and possibly change a working group’s decision.

On Wednesday April 20th, the Residents’ Assembly Service announced the results of a vote called by the Auroville Council on a new Entry Policy and a new mandate for the Funds and Assets Management Committee (FAMC).