Mehli Mistry Files Caveat With Charity Commissioner To Fight Ouster From Tata Trusts: Sources

Mehli Mistry has filed a caveat with Charity Commissioner for his right to be heard before his ouster from Tata Trusts is sanctioned by the Commissioner, sources told NDTV Profit.

According to rules, Tata Trusts needs to make changes to the board sanctioned by the Charity Commissioner in 90 days. Mehli Mistry wants to contest his ouster before the Commissioner of philanthropic organisations pointing to the Oct, 2024 resolution on life trusteeship at renewal. 

NDTV Profit on Oct. 28 had reported that the Tata Trusts board had ousted Mehli Mistry at the time of his renewal. Sources had told NDTV Profit that Venu Srinivasan, Noel Tata and Vijay Singh had rejected Mehli Mistry's renewal for life trusteeship.

Noel Tata chairs the philanthropic trust, while Vijay Singh and Venu Srinivasan are vice chairmen.

The ouster of Mistry could be challenged based on the Oct. 24 resolution passed by the Tata Trusts, sources said. NDTV Profit accessed the resolution which gives life term to the present trustees.

The resolution says, “The Trustees recognise that they are all equally responsible, charged with public duty and specifically tasked by Mr Ratan N Tata. To this end, they resolve that on the expiry of tenure of any Trustee, that Trustee will be reappointed by the concerned Trust without any limit being attached to the period of tenure of such re-appointment, and in accordance with law.”

Tata Trusts has been locked in an internal conflict over the nomination of a director to the Tata Sons board.

"The rift at Tata Trusts would impact strategic decisions at Tata Sons. On a day-to-day basis, Tata Sons is unlikely to be disrupted but strategic decisions will be affected," Shriram Subramanian, managing director and founder InGovern, told NDTV Profit.

"Tata Trust has been operating well except for the current issue. The issue will not impact Tata Trust's governance. In the interim the functioning of Tata Trusts will be smooth, even if contested," said Abizer Diwanji, founder of Neostrat Advisors LLP.