Mon Mar 10 17:28:02 UTC 2025: ## Madras High Court Upholds Auroville Land Exchanges
**Chennai, March 10, 2025** – The Madras High Court has rejected a petition challenging land exchanges undertaken by the Auroville Foundation. Justice N. Anand Venkatesh dismissed the petitions filed by Krishna Devanandan, a purported member of the Residents Assembly, who alleged the foundation violated procedures by exchanging land without consulting key committees.
The court accepted the foundation’s argument that the Working Committee (WC) and Funds and Assets Management Committee (FAMC) were consulted, and that the petitioner lacked standing to bring the case individually. The judge highlighted that the 1997 Auroville Foundation Rules mandate government approval only for land *sales*, not exchanges, and that the exchanged land was outside the designated Auroville area.
The court also noted that two members of the Governing Board represent the central government, which issued guidelines for land exchanges in November 2023 and has yet to object to the transactions. The judge stated that the absence of complaints from the WC, FAMC, or the central government prevents the court from acting on the petitioner’s individual claims. The court concluded that the land exchanges were necessary for Auroville’s master plan and benefitted the foundation.
First Piper 