MUMBAI: A group of members of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai has moved the Bombay High Court seeking immediate elections to the managing council, alleging serious mismanagement and the illegal postponement of polls.
The members, who have united under the banner “Asiatic Tomorrow”, addressed a press conference at the Press Club on Monday. Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, former vice-president of the society, said the group has filed an intervention petition in the high court to ensure that the long-pending elections are conducted without further delay.
He alleged that the current managing board unilaterally deferred the elections indefinitely, despite the society’s rules mandating that polls be held alongside the annual general meeting. According to him, the board relied on a technical interpretation of a high court judgment concerning an order of the joint charity commissioner to postpone the elections scheduled for November 8.
Sahasrabuddhe claimed that the court had clarified there was no intention to stall the electoral process, yet the management went ahead with the postponement. He further alleged that even after announcing elections, and despite restrictions on major policy decisions during such periods, the board continued to take key policy decisions after its term had expired.
The group also flagged delays in finalising the voter list, calling it a sign of administrative negligence. With the financial year drawing to a close, they warned that continued uncertainty could affect the society’s ability to secure funding.
Describing the postponement as “inexcusable”, Sahasrabuddhe demanded immediate elections to restore proper governance. He added that Asiatic Tomorrow would continue working to preserve a vibrant intellectual culture in Mumbai and safeguard the Marathi language and heritage at the institution associated with noted scholar Durgabai Bhagwat.