Tata Trusts has deferred its Board of Trustees meeting scheduled for May 16 after receiving a direction from the Charity Commissioner, Maharashtra State, asking that the meeting be postponed.
In a statement issued late Friday, Tata Trusts said the communication was received through an email forwarded by the Charity Commissioner’s office. The Trusts said the direction was issued in relation to a complaint filed by Katyayani Agrawal, a representation made by trustee Venu Srinivasan, and an order passed by the Bombay High Court on May 13 in Writ Petition (L) No. 16647/2026 concerning the Sir Ratan Tata Trust.
The Trusts maintained that the direction concerned only the Sir Ratan Tata Trust and argued that the order had been issued “ex parte” without any notice or hearing being granted to the Trust before the direction was passed.
According to the statement, the complaint filed by Agrawal questions the composition of the Board of Trustees of the Sir Ratan Tata Trust. It alleges that three out of the six trustees are permanent trustees and that this arrangement violates Section 30A(2) of the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act, 1950.
Tata Trusts, however, said it believes the amendment to the law is prospective in nature and does not affect appointments of perpetual trustees made before September 1, 2025, when the amendment came into force.
“The amendment is prospective in nature and does not affect the appointments of perpetual trustees made before it came into force on 1st September 2025,” the statement said, adding that this interpretation was backed by legal opinions and clarifications obtained by the Trusts.
The Trusts also pointed out that the Bombay High Court had disposed of the writ petition on May 13 “as withdrawn”. The petition had sought directions restraining the same Board meeting on the basis of Agrawal’s complaint.
The statement further said the Sir Ratan Tata Trust was not aware of any complaint filed by trustee Venu Srinivasan until it received the Charity Commissioner’s directions. It added that Srinivasan had acknowledged notices for Board meetings scheduled on May 8 and May 16.
“The directions received from the Office of Charity Commissioner are being examined by the Sir Ratan Tata Trust,” the statement added.
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