How Mehli Mistry is contesting his removal as trustee from Tata Trusts

Mehli Mistry, a former trustee of Tata Trusts whose term was not renewed last week, has approached the Maharashtra Charity Commissioner seeking to ensure no changes are made to the Trusts’ roster of trustees without granting him a hearing, the Economic Times reported on Monday, citing people familiar with the development.

The move could set the stage for a potential legal dispute over governance at the Tata Trusts, which together hold a controlling stake in Tata Sons, the holding company of India’s $150 billion Tata conglomerate.

Mistry’s term as trustee ended on October 28 after a majority of trustees, including Tata Trusts chairman Noel Tata, vice-chairman Venu Srinivasan and trustee Vijay Singh, voted against his reappointment. Trustees Darius Khambata, Jehangir HC Jehangir and Pramit Jhaveri supported his renewal.

In his representation to the Charity Commissioner, Mistry has reportedly asked that any proposal to amend the list of trustees be subject to prior notice and an opportunity for him to be heard.

Under the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act, any change in trusteeship must be reported to the Charity Commissioner’s office, which then issues a notice to the concerned parties and conducts hearings before issuing an order. Mistry’s petition was filed preemptively, before the Trusts formally submitted a change report.

Mistry’s removal could consolidate Noel Tata’s leadership of the Trusts, which have been facing internal divisions following the death of Ratan Tata, the group’s long-serving patriarch, last year.

Mistry is expected to argue that his renewal as trustee should be treated as valid based on an October 2024 resolution passed shortly after Tata’s death, which he says provided for lifetime appointments.