On Thursday, the Bombay High Court upheld the Charity Commissioner's order from March 13, which deferred the elections for the managing committee of the Asiatic Society in south Mumbai. This decision arose from concerns regarding the approval of 1,467 new members who were enrolled without proper authorization after October 3, 2025. The court's ruling mandates the preparation of a fresh list of eligible voters, effectively barring these new members from participating in the elections. The Asiatic Society, founded in 1804, is recognized as one of India's oldest institutions dedicated to research and scholarship in various fields. Justice Farhan P Dubash presided over the case, which included a petition from former Congress Rajya Sabha member Kumar Ketkar. The Charity Commissioner, Amogh Kaloti, had previously halted the elections due to serious issues regarding the committee's operations, including reports of missing rare books from the Society's library. The court noted that the managing committee continued to function despite its term ending, which was deemed unacceptable. Ultimately, the court affirmed the Charity Commissioner's authority to oversee the Society's affairs under the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act, ensuring a smoother governance process going forward.