Mumbai’s legal elite has fractured in the ongoing Tata governance war. Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Harish Salve, who previously stood shoulder-to-shoulder defending Tata Sons and the Trusts during the Cyrus Mistry ouster, now represent opposing interests. The split marks a stark reversal in one of India’s most high-profile corporate legal dramas.
Singhvi has emerged as the primary legal voice for Tata Trusts, accusing Tata Sons of eroding shareholder rights. In a post on X, he stated that the disputes "can only have legal solutions." He specifically alleged that the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Mistry case, which established the Trusts’ primacy, has been "selectively forgotten" by current management.
Salve, defending Tata Sons and Chairman N Chandrasekaran, countered in a Friday television interview. He argued that listing Tata Sons would neutralize the restrictive private-company clauses fueling the current conflict. Salve suggested that resistance to a public listing reflects "private ambitions" and "individual interests" rather than genuine governance concerns.
The courtroom battle is set to intensify as both sides mobilize. Singhvi’s team is preparing formal legal challenges to recent board decisions, while Salve continues to advocate for structural changes to resolve the impasse. The Supreme Court’s prior interpretation of the Tata group’s unique structure remains the central legal battleground.