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.
