Tata Trusts call Charity Commissioner’s order ex-parte, says law can’t apply retrospectively
Tata Trusts said amendment in the Maharashtra Public Trusts (Second) Amendment Act of 2025 is prospective in nature and does not affect the appointments of perpetual trustees made prior to its coming into force on September 1, 2025.
“The directions received from the Office of Charity Commissioner are being examined by the Sir Ratan Tata Trust,” it said. Reacting to the Charity Commissioner’s order to defer board meeting and conduct an inquiry, Tata Trusts said the direction was issued ex-parte, with no notice being given to the Sir Ratan Tata Trust and no hearing being given to it, before the direction was issued.
Tata Trusts said amendment in the Maharashtra Public Trusts (Second) Amendment Act of 2025 is prospective in nature and does not affect the appointments of perpetual trustees made prior to its coming into force on September 1, 2025. This is substantiated by both opinions and clarifications obtained by the Tata Trusts, the trust said.
It said Katyayani Agrawal’s complaint relates to the composition of the Board of Trustees of the Sir Ratan Tata Trust and alleges that three out of six trustees of Sir Ratan Tata Trust, being permanent in nature, are in contravention of the Maharashtra Public Trusts (Second) Amendment Act of 2025). This prescribes that the perpetual or life trustees should not exceed one-fourth of the total number of trustees of a public trust.
“Sir Ratan Tata Trust was not aware of any complaint having been filed by Venu Srinivasan, Trustee, until the receipt of directions from the Charity Commissioner today,” Tata Trusts said. Venu Srinivasan had previously acknowledged the notice of the board meeting originally scheduled to be held on May 8 and the notice of the meeting rescheduled to May 16, 2026, it said.
“The directions received from the Office of Charity Commissioner are being examined by the Sir Ratan Tata Trust,” it said.
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