In a significant development, the Governing Board of the Auroville Foundation has notified the Auroville Foundation (Admission and Termination of Persons in the Register of Residents) Regulations, 2023. The regulations empower the Central government and the Governing Board with additional powers over the admission or termination of persons from the Register of Residents.
Though there were earlier two panels -- Admission Committee and Termination Committee both of which were to be constituted by the Residents’ Assembly as per the regulations issued in 2020, the latest regulations empower the Governing Board to constitute one combined panel -- the Admissions and Termination Scrutinising Committee.
“If the Central Government has reasons to believe that any volunteer, newcomer, resident or any other person in Auroville is a threat to national security or possible offender under any Act administered in India, it shall communicate the removal of such person or necessary action to the Governing Board through the Secretary, and the Governing Board shall immediately cause such communication to be put into action with immediate effect,” reads one of the provisions in the regulations.
The regulations provide for the constitution of the Admissions and Terminations Scrutinising Committee (with a tenure of three years), which shall have five members. Of them, at least two members shall be residents nominated by the Governing Board based on a call for nomination from the Residents Assembly.
“The non-resident members of the Committee shall be nominated by the Chairperson of the Governing Board and shall be persons having knowledge and expertise in the field of administration,” it said. The Governing Board (with Tamil Nadu Governor as Chairperson) shall assign a chair for the committee from among the five members nominated.
The procedure to become a volunteer, a newcomer, or eventually a resident has also been revised with a few changes. As for termination, it said, “Any resident or anyone may make a complaint or information or report, substantiated with material, against any volunteer, newcomer, or resident for violation of the Auroville Admission Criteria and Auroville Residence Criteria for volunteer, newcomer, or resident.”
The Admissions and Terminations Scrutinising Committee can also take suo moto cognizance of any misrepresentation, concealment, or fraud committed by a volunteer, newcomer, or resident in the application process that comes to notice subsequently and treat it as a complaint.
A Gazette notification of the Government of India dated December 19, 2023 said the regulations were in supersession of the 2020 regulations and that the Governing Board was making the 2023 regulations with the approval of the Central government.
