Fresh Row At Tata Trusts Over Non-Parsi Trustees | Matter Headed For Courts?

Less than 18 months after the passing of Ratan Tata, the Tata Group finds itself in the news again. This time, the issue centres around appointments within Tata Trusts, the powerful entities that control a majority stake in Tata Sons. A dispute is over eligibility – involving community and residency requirements – with veteran Tata hand Mehli Mistry reportedly questioning the entry of non-Parsis – Venu Srinivasan and Vijay Singh into Tata Trusts. The Trusts are the all-powerful bodies with 66% stake in Tata Sons and the power to appoint one-third of the board of the company which controls the $180-bn Tata Group. Reports also add legal opinion by former Chief Justice of India M. H. Kania raising questions about the validity of trustee restrictions. The Tata leadership is now navigates the fallout within one of India’s most respected business empires.