Overview:
Tata Trusts received a directive from the Charity Commissioner of Maharashtra to postpone a Board meeting scheduled for May 16, 2026, based on a complaint regarding trustee composition. The Trust argues the amendment affecting trustee terms is prospective and doesn’t impact prior appointments, while the Bombay High Court dismissed a related petition.
Tata Trusts releases a statement – “An email was received, forwarding a direction issued by the Charity Commissioner, Maharashtra State, Mumbai, to the Board of Trustees of Tata Trusts to defer the meeting of the Board of Trustees scheduled for 16 May, 2026.
It is reiterated that the direction was issued ex parte, with no notice being given to the Sir Ratan Tata Trust and no hearing being afforded to it, before the direction was issued. Katyayani Agrawal’s complaint relates to the composition of the Board of Trustees of the Sir Ratan Tata Trust and alleges that three out of six trustees of Sir Ratan Tata Trust, being permanent in nature, are in contravention of Section 30A(2) of the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act, 1950 (introduced vide the Maharashtra Public Trusts (Second) Amendment Act of 2025), which prescribes that the perpetual or life trustees shall not exceed one-fourth of the total number of trustees of a public trust.
It is the understanding of the Tata Trusts that the said amendment is prospective in nature and does not affect the appointments of perpetual trustees made prior to its coming into force on 1st September 2025. This is substantiated by both opinions and clarifications obtained by the Tata Trusts. It may be pertinent to mention that Bombay High Court, on 13 May 2026, disposed of the aforementioned writ petition as withdrawn.
That petition had sought a direction restraining the same meeting of the Board of Trustees of Sir Ratan Tata Trust, on the basis of the complaint filed by Katyayani Agrawal. Sir Ratan Tata Trust was not aware of any complaint having been filed by Venu Srinivasan, Trustee, until the receipt of directions from the Charity Commissioner today.
Venu Srinivasan had previously acknowledged the notice of the Board meeting originally scheduled to be held on 8 May, 2026 and the notice of the meeting rescheduled to 16 May, 2026. The directions received from the Office of Charity Commissioner are being examined by the Sir Ratan Tata Trust.
