Mumbai: Asiatic Society Elections Stayed Again As Charity Commissioner Flags Voter Roll Issues
· Free Press Journal
Mumbai: Elections to the managing committee of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai were stayed for the second time after the Maharashtra Charity Commissioner issued an order on March 13, halting the polling that was scheduled to take place on Saturday.
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Stay Communicated Hours Before Vote
The stay order was communicated barely 16 hours before voting was due to begin, prompting sharp reactions from members of the Kumar Ketkar panel contesting the elections. The panel termed the move an obstruction of the democratic process and expressed concern over what it described as interference in the governance of the historic institution.
The managing committee elections had earlier been scheduled for November 8, 2025, but were postponed then as well. With the second stay coming on the eve of polling, the panel questioned the timing of the intervention and said it had disrupted the election process.
Commissioner Questions Validity of Memberships Approved After September 2025
According to the order issued by the Charity Commissioner, the stay was imposed over alleged procedural irregularities in the voter roll. The order notes that memberships approved after September 27, 2025 — when the tenure of the scrutinising committee expired — may not be valid and therefore require examination before the elections are conducted.
Members of the Kumar Ketkar panel, however, said the objections were raised only at the last minute despite several months having passed since the memberships in question were approved. They also criticised the timing of the order’s publication, stating that it was uploaded on the official website around 5:30 pm on March 13, the evening before the scheduled polling.
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The panel further argued that the intervention contradicts an earlier order of the Bombay High Court dated October 6, 2025, delivered by a bench led by Justice Revati Dhere. According to the panel, the order had clarified that once the election process had begun, the Charity Commissioner does not have jurisdiction to interfere.
Members of the panel gathered at the Society’s premises in south Mumbai on Saturday afternoon and resolved to challenge the stay order through legal means. They also reiterated their demand that elections be conducted at the earliest in a free and transparent manner.
Founded more than two centuries ago and housed in the iconic Town Hall building in Fort, the Asiatic Society of Mumbai is regarded as one of the country’s oldest learned institutions and holds a vast collection of rare books, manuscripts and historical records. The panel appealed to members, scholars and citizens to remain vigilant in safeguarding the autonomy of the institution.
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