Bengaluru/Mumbai, May 15 -- A surprise intervention by Tata Trust vice-chairman Venu Srinivasan, along with two other complainants, prompted the Maharashtra charity commissioner to cancel the crucial board meeting of the trust scheduled to decide his continuation on the Tata Sons board.

Srinivasan's action and the charity commissioner's late Friday communication not to hold the meeting on 16 May have caught five of the six trustees of the Sir Ratan Tata off guard, according to an executive privy to the development.

Srinivasan has complained about three members of the six-member Sir Ratan Tata Trust being permanent trustees, in alleged violation of the Maharashtra Public Trusts Rules, which state that not more than a fourth of trustees c...