MUMBAI: Tata Trusts’ plans to review its representation on the Tata Sons board have hit a roadblock, with the Maharashtra charity commissioner’s freeze on Sir Ratan Tata Trust board meetings spilling over to Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, even though the commissioner’s order applies only to SRTT.The complication arises from Tata Sons’ articles of association, which require SRTT and SDTT to jointly change their representations on the company’s board, including removal of existing nominees and appointment of new ones.Tata Trusts chairman Noel Tata and vice-chairman Venu Srinivasan are the two Trust nominees on Tata Sons board.The two Trusts together hold a 52% stake in Tata Sons. While SDTT is free to hold board meetings following the commissioner’s clarification, it cannot act unilaterally on the nominee review – any such decision requires SRTT’s participation, and SRTT remains barred from convening meetings until the commissioner completes his inquiry into allegations that its board composition violates the Maharashtra Public Trust Act.The review of Trust nominee directors, specifically the continuity of Srinivasan on Tata Sons board, was among the key agenda items at the cancelled May 8 and May 16 board meetings. People familiar with the matter said a June 8 date has been blocked by the Trusts, excluding SRTT, for a potential board meeting, but the nominee review is not part of that agenda. They added that grant disbursements of up to Rs 15 crore can be passed through circular resolutions but anything above that requires board approval.The nominee review was linked to public comments by Srinivasan and vice-chairman Vijay Singh supporting a potential Tata Sons IPO – a position opposed by Noel. The cancelled May 8 and May 16 board meetings were also to discuss the IPO comments made by the two trustees. With SRTT barred from taking any important decisions pending the inquiry, SDTT’s hands are tied too – any realignment of the Trusts’ representation on the Tata Sons board remains on hold.
Chandra to brief directors at Tuesday meetingMeanwhile, Tata Sons will hold a board meeting on Tuesday, where chairman N Chandrasekaran is expected to brief directors on the operating companies, with a focus on loss-making businesses, addressing concerns raised by Noel at the Feb board meeting, an episode that also led to the deferral of Chandrasekaran’s reappointment for a third term.Chandrasekaran’s reappointment is not listed on Tuesday’s agenda, though the Trusts had already approved a third five-year term for him in July 2025. At the Feb meeting, Noel was the lone dissenting voice against the reappointment.
