- The petition against Sir Ratan Tata Trusts life trustee structure was withdrawn from Bombay HC
- The bench noted the petitioner was not the original complainant in the Charity Commissioner's case
- The plea failed to identify the original complainant, as observed by the court
The writ petition challenging Sir Ratan Tata Trust's life trustee structure has been withdrawn from the Bombay High Court, with the bench observing that the petitioner has not been fair.
The petitioner, Suresh Tulsiram Patilkhede, had argued that the amended Maharashtra Public Trust Act bars the count of perpetual trustees exceeding one-fourth of the total number of trustees, unless the trust's instrument expressly mandates it.
The petitioner was not the original complaint in underlying case before the Charity commissioner, it was observed in the court. Also, the plea did not mention who the original complainant is.
Subseqently, the petitioner's lawyer sought liberty to withdraw the plea from the court.
With the legal challenge dropped, Tata Trusts can now proceed with its May 16 meeting to reorganise its nominees on the Tata Sons board.
ALSO READ: Legal Cloud Over Tata Trusts Board Meeting: All About The Plea In Bombay High Court
Notably, the peition before the HC had alleged violation of Maharashtra Public Trust (Second Amendment) Act, 2025 by the Sir Ratan Tata Trust. The plea claimed that the Trust's present board composition, comprising three out of six trustees holding life tenure, violates the statutory cap under the amended law.
The petition was filed ahead of the crucial Tata Trusts meeting, which was first scheduled on May 8 but later deferred till May 16. The plea argued that any decision taken at the upcoming meeting would be legally untenable, due to the board's life trustee structure being in alleged violation of the Maharashtra Public Trust law.
At the centre of the dispute is a provision in the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act that limits lifetime or perpetual trustees to 25% of a trust's board strength. The petition claimed that the Sir Ratan Tata Trust exceeds that ceiling, with three of its six trustees - Noel Tata, Jimmy Tata and Jehangir Jehangir - serving as perpetual trustees.
The legal challenge came at a time when governance questions within the Tata Trusts network have widened beyond trustee appointments to broader concerns over board procedures and compliance with trust deeds across multiple entities.
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