Affiliations Committee/Wikimedia India/FAQ

Question Answer
Why was Wikimedia India suspended? The suspension (and subsequent revocation) were based on concerns regarding Wikimedia India's compliance with chapter requirements in the areas of legal structure, open governance, active contributor involvement, capacity, and organizational best practices. These concerns were detailed in the November 2018 Notice of Suspension sent to the Wikimedia India Executive Committeee.
What was required of Wikimedia India to lift the suspension? (1) By December 1, 2019, Wikimedia India was to submit their overdue chapter activities and financial reporting.

(2) By January 15, 2019, Wikimedia India was to submit an Action Plan for returning to full compliance, including a timeline for completion.

(3) By January 15, 2019, Wikimedia India was to submit a plan, via email or posted online, demonstrating how the chapter meets the specific chapter requirements outlined. If the chapter does not currently meet the requirements, they were to provide a plan and timeline for how to address these issues before June.

(4) By May 1, 2019, Wikimedia India was to demonstrate that it is following the Wikimedia Foundation Board’s recommendations for organizational best practices.

Is the revocation decision final? Yes. As stated in the Notice of Suspension sent to the Wikimedia India Executive Committee on November 10, 2018, the window for demonstrating Wikimedia India’s capacity and compliance was between December 2018 and May 2019.
Why did the revocation decision have to be made in June? Certain forms of the agreement between the Wikimedia Foundation and each Wikimedia Chapter only allow the agreement to be canceled once per year, 90 days prior to the anniversary of its signing. If a notice of revocation is not sent to the Wikimedia Chapter by that deadline, the agreement automatically renews for another year, and there is no further opportunity to cancel it until the following year. As the anniversary of Wikimedia India's chapter agreement occurs in September, it was impossible to delay the decision on revocation beyond June.
Wikimedia India is no longer eligible for grants at this time. What does that mean for individual community members? While Wikimedia India as an organization is no longer eligible to receive grants from the Wikimedia Foundation, the Wikimedia Foundation welcomes requests for support from other individuals and groups in India.
Can individuals from Wikimedia India apply for recognition as a new Wikimedia User Group? Yes. We encourage members of Wikimedia India to consider joining existing Wikimedia User Groups in India, or to work together to reorganize as a new Wikimedia User Group. However, the specific individuals who are part of the Wikimedia India Executive Committee will be prohibited from serving as the primary contacts of any Wikimedia affiliate for a period of one year following the de-recognition of Wikimedia India on September 14, 2019.
Is the Affiliations Committee available to meet with members of the Indian Wikimedia community? The Affiliations Committee has repeatedly encouraged the Wikimedia India Executive Committee to schedule a call to discuss potential ways to move forward. The Affiliations Committee similarly welcomes requests for meetings from other groups in India if they believe that a call would be helpful for coordinating potential next steps. Several members of the Affiliations Committee will additionally be available to meet at Wikimania.