Mumbai : The tussle within Tata Trusts has widened, with Vijay Singh, vice chairman of Tata Trusts and a trustee of the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust (SDTT), approaching the Maharashtra Charity Commissioner seeking an immediate inquiry into the trust’s governance and its involvement in the commercial and strategic affairs of Tata Sons. Singh has raised concerns over the increasing involvement of SDTT and its trustees in matters concerning Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata Group.
“SDTT’s substantial shareholding in Tata Sons cannot mean that the trust assumes the functions of a commercial enterprise or participates directly in Tata Sons’ business affairs,” Singh said in his letter to the Charity Commissioner. Singh has also flagged potential tax implications arising from the trust’s involvement in Tata Sons. He has cited provisions of the Income Tax Act, 2025 governing commercial activities by registered non-profit organisations. He has argued that activities that are not incidental to a trust’s charitable objectives could put its tax registration and exemption at risk.
Singh has sought consequential action based on the findings of the inquiry, including suspension or removal of trustees where warranted and appointment of trustees in accordance with the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act. Singh has further asked that the existing composition of the SDTT board of trustees be maintained while the inquiry is pending. Singh’s move follows a similar complaint by Venu Srinivasan, another vice chairman of Tata Trusts and a trustee of SDTT.
Singh has also raised concerns over what he described as Srinivasan’s exclusion from relevant decision-making processes, according to the report. Tata Trusts has made a submission to the Charity Commissioner seeking an opportunity to be heard before any decision is taken on the complaints. The governance dispute comes as Tata Trusts and Tata Sons are also dealing with a separate battle over the future structure of Tata Sons and its potential listing. Tata Trusts, which owns 66% of Tata Sons, proposed on September 28 to merge Tata Electronics Systems Solutions Private Limited (TESS) and Tata Consulting Engineers (TCE) with Tata Sons.
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