The Bombay High Court has passed an interim order and put on hold a directive of the Maharashtra Charity Commissioner that suspended elections to the Asiatic Society of Mumbai and placed the 200-year-old institution under an administrator, holding that there was a prima facie violation of natural justice.

Justice Farhan P Dubash granted interim relief after noting that the society and its managing committee were not given prior notice or an opportunity to respond to the inspector's inquiry report that formed the basis of the commissioner’s 50-page order dated March 13. The order had blocked elections scheduled for March 14.