News & Notes 765:When someone passes away in Auroville
When someone passes away in Auroville
process of Death registration, execution of wills, and burial/cremation laws
Dear Community,
Here some updates and clarifications for your information.
1. BURIALS AND CREMATIONS
In accordance with the Tamil Nadu Village Panchayats (Provision of Burial and Burning Grounds) Rules, 1999, the Burial and Cremation Grounds at Adventure has officially been marked as Auroville's burial and cremation grounds. This is the only area in Auroville where burials and cremations can take place. Burials and cremations elsewhere in Auroville are not allowed.
2. ADMINISTRATIVE FORMALITIES.
2.1 Death certificate issued by a doctor or hospital
- An Auroville doctor or the hospital where the person has passed away will issue a death certificate indicating the cause and time of death.
2.2 Informing the Auroville Foundation.
- When a foreign or Indian resident of Auroville has passed away, the family members or a family friend should fill-in the death registration form available at the Residents' Service.
2.3 Informing the Regional Registration Office and the foreign mission in India.
- When a foreign resident of Auroville has passed away, the family members or a family friend should hand over the passport, the residential permit and the stay visa to the Working Committee, which will then further coordinate with the Resident Service and the Auroville Foundation office for the necessary registration in India and in the country of origin of the deceased resident.
2.4 Official death certificate.
- When a foreign or Indian resident of Auroville has passed away, the family members or a family friend should obtain the official death certificate not later than 21 days after the passing.
- It is important to begin this process at the soonest as it often takes time.
- If the person has passed away in Auroville, the death certificate needs to be acquired from the village administrative officer (VAO). If the person passes away elsewhere, it needs to be acquired from the municipality of the city or the VAO of the village where the person has passed away.
- For registering deaths with local VAO, the AVSST can be contacted for help.
- A copy of the death certificate is to be given to the Working Committee.
- Some foreign missions require that the death certificate of a foreign resident is validated by the Home Ministry in Chennai (in case the person passed away in Tami Nadu) or in Pondicherry (in case the person passed away in Pondicherry) and then is apostilled by the Ministry of External Affairs in Chennai. The Working Committee can provide guidance on the process to be followed.
2.5 Income tax
If the deceased person is an income tax payer, it is mandatory to file an IT return over the period from April 1 to the date of death. For this, the PAN card of the deceased is required. For guidance, please contact your chartered accountant.
3. Last Wills and codicils
Please see [...] about making a will and codicils.
Foreign residents of Auroville, who have assets abroad, are advised to make their testament in their home country. They can also make it in India, but then it has to be validated and apostilled, in order to be accepted in their home country.
A resident who has an Indian bank account is advised to contact the bank on how to appoint someone to manage the bank assets of the resident when the resident passes away. Some banks require that a special form is filled in. A powers of attorney / proxy usually becomes void the moment the account holder dies.
It is advisable to leave a copy of the will and codicil in the safe of the Financial Service, so that it is available when required.
See also