India, May 14 -- Expressing strong displeasure over the petitioner's conduct, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday allowed the withdrawal of a plea challenging the board composition of the Sir Ratan Tata Trust and seeking an urgent stay on its proposed board meeting on May 16.

A division bench of justices Advait Sethna and Sandesh Patil questioned petitioner Suresh Patilkhede's standing in the case, noting that he was not a party to the original representation against the trust before the charity commissioner regarding alleged violations under the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act. "We are constrained to observe that these proceedings bring about a rather shocking state of affairs," the bench said.

In his petition, Patilkhede, a 61-year-old T...