A writ petition filed before the Bombay High Court has sought to halt a key meeting of Tata Trusts scheduled for May 8, raising concerns over alleged violations of Maharashtra’s public trust regulations and the validity of trustee appointments. The plea challenges governance practices within the Tata Trusts network and argues that certain board decisions taken after amendments to the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act in September 2025 may be legally invalid if the trusts are found to be non-compliant with the revised framework.

The petition was filed by Suresh Tulsiram Patilkhede and focuses primarily on the structure of the Sir Ratan Tata Trust board. According to the plea, amendments introduced to the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act impose restrictions on the number of lifetime or perpetual trustees allowed on a trust board, limiting them to 25 percent of the total strength. The petition alleges that the Sir Ratan Tata Trust exceeds this limit, claiming that three out of its six trustees — Noel Tata, Jimmy Tata, and Jehangir Jehangir — currently serve as perpetual trustees.

The legal challenge comes at a time when governance issues within Tata Trusts have intensified over trustee appointments, reappointment procedures, and compliance with trust deeds across multiple entities linked to the group. The petitioner has argued that any resolutions or decisions passed after the 2025 amendments should be treated as invalid if the trusts failed to align themselves with the revised statutory provisions. The matter has added further scrutiny to the internal functioning of one of India’s most influential philanthropic institutions, which oversees a large shareholding in Tata Sons.

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According to reports citing sources familiar with the discussions, the May 8 meeting is also expected to address internal disagreements involving trustee N Srinivasan and trustee Harish Bhat Singh. Discussions may also include the Trusts’ long-standing position that Tata Sons should remain an unlisted company. The developments have drawn attention because decisions made by Tata Trusts play a significant role in the governance and strategic direction of the wider Tata Group ecosystem.

Governance tensions escalated further after objections emerged regarding the reappointment of Srinivasan and Singh at the Tata Education and Development Trust. Trustee Mehli Mistry reportedly opposed the proposal to extend their terms, which are set to expire on May 11. Under the trust’s governing structure, all agenda items reportedly require unanimous approval from the five-member board, increasing the significance of any dissenting vote within the organisation.

The controversy also follows Srinivasan’s resignation last month from the Bai Hirabai Jamsetji Tata Navsari Charitable Institution, where he cited other commitments as the reason for stepping down. His exit reportedly came shortly after Mehli Mistry approached Maharashtra’s charity commissioner questioning the eligibility of Srinivasan and Singh under the trust deed. Multiple complaints filed before the charity commissioner have since raised broader concerns regarding trustee eligibility, board procedures, and compliance standards across entities associated with Tata Trusts, potentially setting the stage for a wider legal and governance review.

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