Battle over Gayatri Devi's shares: SC issues notices on pleas

The Supreme Court has issued notices on two petitions filed against a Delhi High Court verdict allowing transfer of some shares of late Maharani Gayatri Devi to her grandchildren Devraj and Lalitya Kumari. The High Court, while reversing a Company Law Board (CLB) order, had ordered rectification of share register of Jai Mahal Hotels Pvt Ltd in which Gayatri Devi held 99 per cent stakes. It had allowed the plea of Devraj and Lalitya that these shares be registered in their names. Taking note of petitions of Jai Mahal Hotels Pvt Ltd and Urvashi Devi, a member of the royal family, the bench of Chief Justice Altamas Kabir and Justice Anil R Dave said, "Issue notice on both Special Leave Petitions... The respondents will be entitled to file their respective counter affidavits to the SLPs within two weeks; rejoinder, thereto, if any, may be filed within two weeks thereafter." The bench also said, "In the meantime, the parties are directed to maintain status quo with regard to transmission of the shares in question." Jai Mahal Hotels, in its plea filed through lawyers Mukul Rohatgi and Sanjiv Sen, said though the High Court admitted various legal and factual issues of the case, it did not consider its arguments and "reversed the well reasoned judgement of the CLB, New Delhi". Devraj and Lalitya had moved the High Court saying their father Jagat Singh was the son of Gayatri Devi and Sawai Man Singh and held 99 per cent shares in the firm. Jagat Singh died leaving a will that Gayatri Devi would be the owner of all his properties, including the shares in the company. Later, Gayatri Devi, who died on July 29, 2009, left a will saying her grandchildren Devraj and Lalitya would inherit all her properties, they had told the High Court. The High Court had allowed the plea and ordered rectification of company records which would show Devraj and Lalitya as holders of the stakes held earlier by Gayatri Devi. (More)