Charity Commissioner directs Tata Trusts to defer Saturday’s Board meeting

This image is used for representational purposes only. | Photo Credit: Reuters The Maharashtra Charity Commissioner on Friday (May 15, 2026) directed the Board of Trustees of TATA Trusts to defer the meeting scheduled for Saturday (May 16, 2026).It has further directed the TATA Trusts not to hold any such meeting till the submission of Inspector’s inquiry report. The order followed recent developments in which the office of the Charity Commissioner received an email dated April 18, 2026, sent by Advocate Katyayani Agrawal. She had requested the urgent intervention of the Charity Commissioner for a violation of Section 30A(2) of the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act, which pertains to the number of perpetual trustees in a public trust.The Charity Commissioner was urged to exercise his statutory powers under the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act and initiate an immediate inquiry into the composition of the Board of Trustees of the Sir Ratan TATA Trust; Direct the Trust to comply with the mandatory conditions in Section 30A(2) by reducing the number of perpetual trustees to not more than one-fourth of total strength (i.e., a maximum of one perpetual trustee in a Board of six).He was urged to take all consequential actions, including removal of excess perpetual trustees and/or appointment of trustees in accordance with law, as may be necessary to restore legality; and pass any other appropriate orders to prevent further violation of the Act and to protect the interest of the public trust and its beneficiaries.The office of the Charity Commissioner had forwarded the said complaint/representation to the Assistant Charity Commissioner (ACC).The ACC on 13.05.2026 directed the concerned Inspector to conduct an inquiry and submit a report.“Thus, direction for an Inspector inquiry, to be conducted has already been passed, and a report to the Charity Commissioner is awaited,” the order stated.Subsequently, a complaint of a similar nature was dated April 28, 2026 by one Venu.Srinivasan, Trustee of the Sir Ratan TATA Trust, was also received through e-mail. This was also placed before the concerned ACC who directed to keep it with the pending proceeding,” the Charity Commissioner said in the order. The ACC on Friday (May 15, 2026) placed these complaints before the Charity Commissioner.“Complaint/representation by Advocate Katyayani Agrawal is specifically addressed to the Charity Commissioner. It is clear from the text that Venu Srinivasan also made a representation to the Charity Commissioner. The issues highlighted by them are serious and require due consideration,” the Charity Commissioner’s order said.“An Inspector inquiry into these complaints has already been ordered and a report of the inquiry is awaited. In case a meeting of the Board of Trustees is called and any important decisions regarding the administration, management or composition of the Trust are taken during the pendency of the said inquiry, that would lead to further complications and multiplicity of the proceedings,” the order said. “It would therefore be in the interest of the Trust as well as in the interest of justice that such a meeting be deferred till the submission of the report of the Inspector inquiry ordered by the ACC,” it said.“It is clear from the text that Mr. Venu Srinivasan also made a representation to the Charity Commissioner. The issues highlighted by them are serious and require due consideration,” the order added. Published - May 15, 2026 10:47 pm IST