Applications withdrawn. Charity commissioner lifts status quo on Bombay Parsi Punchayet.
The Charity commissioner’s office on Thursday lifted the status quo it had put on the dealings of Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) almost two years ago. The status quo was lifted after joint charity commissioner decided on a plea two days after its hearing.
The BPP, which is considered to be an apex body of the Parsi community is an over 300-year-old public charitable trust. It is one of the largest landlords in Mumbai with 5,500 flats and other immovable properties spread over approximately 100 acres. It provides for various schemes for the Parsi Irani Zoroastrians. However, due to infighting and charges of corruption, its functioning had come to a standstill.
In the previous board, some of the trustees had accused its former chairperson of wrong doings. They had then asked the charity commission office that no property be allowed to be alienated by former chairperson Dinshaw Mehta. The charity commission then passed an order that none of the trustees will be allowed to conduct business and that a status quo shall be in place.
The status quo on all properties has remained since then. “The status quo has been vacated and the current board will be able conduct business. We will be be functional from now on and be able to make allotments of flats. It is a new board and old issues are not relevant. The status quo was an old baggage we were carrying which has been vacated unconditionally. We now look forward to have a clear and transparent policy on housing and other works,” said Noshir Dadrawala, BPP trustee.
Meanwhile, Dinshaw Mehta said, “It is good that the order was vacated in the larger interest of the community.”
Other trustees including the chairperson of BPP did not respond to calls from dna.
Muncherji Cama, who filed an appeal to carry on with the status quo, will have to approach the court. He was not available for comment. The charity commissioner’s office is still hearing his resignation appeal.
