Attempts to regulate Auroville’s functioning are met with resistance and litigation, says Madras HC

The Madras High Court has once again expressed concern over any attempt to regulate the functioning of an institution of the stature of the Auroville Foundation in Puducherry being met with resistance and prompt resort to litigation by one or the other party.

Justice Anita Sumanth has recorded her concern in a recent order refusing to issue a writ of quo warranto against the members of the Working Committee of the Residents’ Assembly of Auroville. Justice Abdul Quddhose had expressed similar concerns in 2022.

Justice Sumanth dismissed a writ petition filed by Hemant Lamba in 2023, questioning the authority of Anuradha Legrand, Parthasarathy Krishnan, Arun Selvam, Srimoyi Rosseger, Ingeborg Christine Neuman Zimmm, Jose Eusebio Martinez Burdaspar, and Selvaraj Damodaran.

The judge wrote: “It is very unfortunate that a foundation of the stature of Auroville has existed thus far without a clear framework for selection of the members of the Working Committee. The need for such regulation has never been more evident than it is today and there is a clarion call for finality in this regard.”

Though the Auroville Foundation (Framework for Selection of Working Committee) Regulations, 2024, were framed this year, laying out the methodology for the selection of the committee members, it was immediately challenged in court and an interim stay was received on February 23, 2024, she lamented.

Though the writ petitioner had made contrary claims regarding the constitution of the working committee, the judge decided to go by the statement made by the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) G. Seetharaman, “who, as on date, is the proper authority to oversee the functioning of the Foundation.”

Since the names of the seven individuals, against whom a writ of quo warranto had been sought, was found in the Register of Residents and verified by the OSD, “their position as members of the Working Committee of the Residents’ Assembly is found to be legitimate, with requisite authority,” the judge said.

She also rejected a plea by the secretary to the Governing Board of Auroville Foundation to initiate proceedings for perjury against the writ petitioner for having claimed to be representing the Working Committee of the Residents Assembly.