After promising the charity commissioner twice that they would present a list of people they examined since assuming office on October 23, 2008, the Bombay Parsi Punchayet failed to release the list even on Thursday.
“We have not come with any list. On the contrary, we are not party to it and want an extension,” said Persi Gandhi, who will appear as counsel for the six trustees in the next hearing.
The trust was to take a decision on 104 people who were given houses by the earlier trust (see DNA, December 5). Then trustees Rustom Tirandaz and Jimmy Mistry stated that they would produce a list on Thursday’s meeting of the people they had considered. Joint charity commissioner N Deshmukh had insisted on it, saying, “The trust needs to show it is doing something on the issue. Show the names you have considered.” Later, he said, “Since you do not have any list, I will now pass orders on December 16.”
Trust representatives wanted to know on what basis or application the order would be passed, to which Deshmukh said, “Do not try to anticipate my order. After hearing you out and looking at whatever has transpired, orders will be given.”
Mistry, one of the trustees present, was unavailable for comment. Said Kersi Randeria of Alert Zoroastrian Association (AZA), “The decisions to give 104 houses were taken unanimously by the old board of trustees, and unless the new board finds something malafide, they should not be harassing people by delaying the allotment.”