- Bai Hirabai Tata Trust seeks to replace trustee Vijay Singh with Noel Tata before Charity Commissioner
- Singh's trustee term expired on August 14, triggering the substitution application
- Tata Trusts filed replies to complaints against SDTT and Bai Hirabai Tata Trust
Bai Hirabai Tata Trust has filed a substitution application before the Maharashtra Charity Commissioner seeking to change its reporting trustee from Vijay Singh to Noel Tata, sources told NDTV Profit on Thursday. Singh's term as trustee expired on Aug. 14.
Separately, Tata Trusts has filed its replies to the complaints against Sir Dorabji Tata Trust (SDTT) and Bai Hirabai Tata Trust. Complainant Mehli Mistry has sought time to respond to these replies. The Charity Commissioner will hear the matter next in the first week of November.
The filings come after the Charity Commissioner granted Tata Trusts an extension until Oct. 19 to respond to the complaint filed by Venu Srinivasan and Vijay Singh. The original deadline was Oct. 12.
That complaint alleged governance lapses at SDTT. It also alleged that the trust had overstepped its role as a charitable trust in transactions involving Tata Sons.
ALSO READ: Tata Trusts Gets October 19 Deadline To Respond To Venu Srinivasan, Vijay Singh Complaint
Srinivasan is a trustee of SDTT and a nominee director on the Tata Sons board. Late last month, he asked the Charity Commissioner to order an immediate inquiry into the trust's administration and governance, and to freeze any change to the SDTT board while the inquiry is pending.
In his letter, Srinivasan said SDTT's Circular Resolution No. 107, circulated on Sept. 16, was an attempt to stop him from exercising his independent judgement and vote. He called it “a power grab within SDTT” aimed at dictating what Tata Sons should do. He linked the circular to his exclusion in November 2025 and said it was part of a continuing effort to concentrate decision-making within a smaller group of trustees.
After the complaint was filed, trusts within the Tata Trusts group filed 84 caveats before the Charity Commissioner so that they would be heard before any orders were passed. Noel Tata and Neville Tata are among the caveators.
Tata Trusts, through its trusts, is the largest shareholder of Tata Sons Pvt., the holding company of the $400-billion Tata Group. Several matters concerning the trusts are pending before the Charity Commissioner.
ALSO READ: Tata Trusts Rift: Venu Srinivasan Alleges 'Power Grab', Wants Board Changes Frozen
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