Ratan Tata thinks himself as the chairman who never retired: Cyrus Mistry

MUMBAI: Former Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry termed predecessor Ratan Tata in a fresh affidavit filed in the National Company Law Tribunal as someone who saw himself as a “chairman who never retired”.

Mistry alleged that Ratan Tata, by virtue being the chairman of the Tata Trusts, insisted on interfering in the decisionsof all operating companies as the chairman of some sort of a super board.

The Trusts owns two-thirds of Tata Sons, the group holding company.


According to Mistry, the articles of association of Tata Sons were changed to ensure that certain decisions were made with the concurrence of the Trusts. It was insisted that the Trusts nominees on the board must vote in the affirmative on such decisions, he claimed. He said the changes in the articles were being interpreted to mean that Tata Sons must consult the Trusts before placing any matter before the Tata Sons board.

Tata Sons’ spokesperson said the company was studying the fresh affidavit. The affidavit, in reply to one field by Tata Sons earlier, said the new articles of association would take away the authority of the company’s board as a decision-making body and, more importantly, could affect the authority of the boards of the operating companies as well.

Mistry said he had shared a note on new corporate governance with Ratan Tata in August 2016 and placed it with the board a month later as an agenda for its meeting on October 24.

Tata wanted to sue Docomo

The fresh affidavit that Cyrus Mistry filed at the National Company Law Tribunal says Ratan Tata had suggested that Tata Sons explore possibilities of suing joint venture partner Docomo for defamation as the Japanese telecom firm was tarnishing the image of the group. The ousted Tata Sons chairman said there was continuous interference from Ratan Tata, chairman of Tata Trusts, in the Docomo case.