The New Indian Express ·
Economy, business and finance
Tata Trusts gets till Oct 15 to respond to Mehil petitions
MUMBAI: In a reprieve for the beleaguered Tata Trsuts, which is fighting on many a front, the charity commissioner has given time till October 15 to respond to the complaints filed by former trustee Mehli Mistry and adjourned the hearing on the objections filed by him against the change reports recording his exit from three trusts.
This is the second breather for the Noel Tata led trusts that own the Tata Group. Late last month, the charity commissioner had thrown out a petition filed by trusts vice-chairman Vijay Singh seeking an independent probe into the transfer of 833 shares between the Navajbai Ratan Tata Trust (NRTT) and Naval Tata, the father of Noel and Ratan Tata in 1989.
Mistry, who was a close aide of the late Ratan Tata and whose term ended in April, had challenged the change reports recording his exit from three trusts and raised allegations over governance, conflicts of interest and eligibility of trustees amog other so called anomlaies in the trusts.
Lawyers representing the trusts sought more time to file their rejoinder, citing, among other things, Vijay Singh’s exit from the Sir Ratan Tata Trust (SRTT) from August 14 when his term, ended.
Though Mistry's lawyers opposed the request for additional time, the commissioner wnet ahead with giving more time, truts source told TNIE Tuesday, after the hearing.
The development marks another extension in the proceedings arising from Mistry's challenges concerning his cessation as a trustee of the SRTT, and the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust (SDTT), the main two trusts that own almost 52% of the total 66.6% of their ownership of the group, and the Bai Hirabai Jamsetji Tata Navsari Charitable Institution.
Change reports are filed with the charity commissioner to take on record the changes in the composition of trustees and other particulars of public charitable trusts.
The dispute began after Mistry ceased to be a trustee late Ocotebr last as majority trustees favoured his exist. He challenged this at the charity commissioner early November but unilaterally withdrew the same. The allegations have been contested by the trusts.
In his objections relating to the SRTT and SDTT, Mistry alleges governance lapses and potential conflicts of interest involving trustees, including chairman Noel Tata, and the vice-chairs Vijay Singh and Venu Srinivasan.
He has also questioned non-disclosure of income received by trustees from Tata group companies and questions over potential conflicts involving Srinivasan, who is also chairman emeritus of TVS Motor Company.
In regard to Srinivasan Mistry questions his engagement of Gerry McGovern, then a senior executive at Jaguar Land Rover, as a consultant for Norton Motorcycles, part of the TVS group.
Mistry cited the arrangement while questioning whether Srinivasan's positions within the trusts and TVS created a conflict of interest.
In his objections about SDTT, Mistry questions over trustee appointments and reappointments, remuneration and non-compliance with reporting changes.
His another petition concerns the Bai Hirabai Jamsetji Tata Navsari Charitable Institution wherein Mistry challenges the eligibility of Singh and Srinivasan to serve as its trustees, as they are not Parsis.
The charity commissioner has restricted SRTT from holding board meetings since May 2026 for having half of its six trustees as life-timers while the rules amended last September limits this to a quarter. This led to the adjournment of the Tata Sons AGM last month for lack of quorum, a first in its 109 year history.