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Smiles and sweets were in abundance on May 31, 2022 to welcome the new board of seven trustees as they prepared to take charge at the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) for the next five years. Declaring it to be "an extremely auspicious day,” the chief election commissioner Cmde Aspi Marker (retd) remarked that "seven worthy candidates have become trustees creating a record of sorts as for the first time the board will have three lady trustees.” Wishing the seven trustees a "fruitful” tenure, Marker proceeded to thank the electorate "who had produced the seven trustees” as also the BPP staff who had cooperated with the Election Commission (EC).
Since this was the first election governed by a court appointed EC, Marker admitted that "before we could say Jack Robinson and… put our house in order, there were complaints lodged and meetings had to be convened. Forgive us if we have done injustice inadvertently.” According to him, "The election was conducted very well. Generally everyone behaved themselves. The counting at each of the centers was in the presence of the candidates or their representatives… Even before we could calculate the results, several WhatsApp groups had announced the results. The EC being lakir ké fakir (bound by the rule book),” they had to follow the guidelines laid down in the election scheme.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The BPP boardroom was packed to capacity for the meeting scheduled for 12 noon. The late arrival of newly elected trustee Maharukh Noble delayed the proceedings by 15 minutes. While the trustees and members of the EC sat around the main table, the family members and supporters of the trustees were expected to sit on the chairs laid out along the periphery of the room. The presence of some unsuccessful candidates, representatives of colony associations, the Press, as also the staff of the BPP added to the congestion in the room. As the deputy chief executive officer Shehnaaz Khambatta announced the names of the seven trustees elected to the board, Marker manouvered his way around the table with difficulty, handing each of them a document testifying he/she had been elected to office with the number of votes garnered. Confined to one spot, the Parsiana photographer was obliged to take most shots from one angle. When  Kersi Deboo, the Zoroastrian representative on the National Commission for Minorities arrived half an hour later, he had to compulsorily remain standing for several moments until a chair was vacated for him.
Amidst the unending rounds of floral presentations by the BPP staff, Deboo, colony associations, Percy Siganporia of the R. N. and N. N. Wadia committee of management, Percy Lentin on behalf of the trustees of Allbless Baug, unsuccessful candidate Farhanaz Irani, the elected trustees had an opportunity to briefly address the gathering.
The four trustees owing allegiance to erstwhile          BPP chairman Dinshaw Mehta, having fought the elections on the slogan "Kom ni unity,” BPP chairwoman Armaity Tirandaz hoped they would be able to elevate the community to a higher level. While she along with co-trustees Viraf Mehta and Xerxes Dastur were reelected, Noble is the new trustee from their slate. Their fifth candidate Rumy Zarir secured the eighth highest votes amongst the 15 candidates. (As Dinshaw had remarked to the Parsiana team prior to the meeting, "We did much better than expected.”) Elected to her third term, Tirandaz declared, "The community has chosen wisely.” She further added, "We are seven educated, mature persons. I am sure we will work in harmony and will not have any unpleasantness, making every effort to overcome every obstacle together.”
She further asked rhetorically, "I suppose I am chairperson?” before alluding to her first tenure as chairperson beginning December 29, 2020 when she had asked her predecessor Yazdi Desai (who passed away in November 2021) whether her duties would require her to conduct meetings. The affirmative reply she had then received, made her declare to her new co-trustees, "I will only be the conductor… You all will play the music.”
Alluding to the "turbulent six-and-a-half years that everyone has witnessed in the recent past,” Viraf proclaimed, "no more sides, no majority-minority; we are one.” He further went on to thank the members of his family, his mother Pansy who has "seen the family go through hell,” his brothers, Hormuz and Darayus who have been his "left and right hands” and "more importantly, my father Dinshaw, liked by some, disliked by many. We have stood together as a family.” Dinshaw announced that everyone present in the room was invited to a thanksgiving gahanbar he would be hosting at Allbless Baug.
"Thank you for bringing me back,” said Dastur, hoping "I can do much more in my second innings. The staff and specially the EC know it is not an easy task.”
"It will be my pleasure to work with my six colleagues,” commented Noble, adding, "I will definitely try to meet the expectations.”
"A big, big thank you for the faith people have in me,” stated Anahita Desai who Marker had earlier introduced as "the star winner” for garnering the highest number of votes. "We will work together as a team and bring the BPP to the level it deserves to be.”
Newly elected trustee Hoshang Jal commented that he was "honored to be a trustee. Knowing that past trustee meetings have witnessed acrimony and bad blood,” he was keen to "maintain decorum and honor so that the new board can work as one.” "The value of a retired government officer” as a trustee will soon be experienced by the Punchayet, assured Marker.
Admitting that he was new to the BPP, Dr Adil Malia advocated that greater efforts would be required to regain "the credibility of the trust that had been eroded.” 
In his brief address in Gujarati, Deboo likewise advised, "Bring back the reputation and image of this institution. Whatever your grievances, your differences of opinion, resolve them on this table. Do not take them before the general public.” He entreated the old and new trustees to work together in unison so that the BPP could serve as "a supreme body within the community.”
Thanking the "fantastic commissioners who have done a fabulous job,” Tirandaz hoped the members of the Commission would continue to render assistance. While Marker clarified they would be available for the next six months, he was hopeful they would not be required to do anything.
Besides Marker, the other members of the EC to be felicitated that afternoon were: Sqn Ldr Minoo Wadia (retd), Hoshang Sinor, Malcolm Siganporia, Zenobia Unwalla and Kainaz Irani. When invited to speak, Wadia commented, "There have been checks and balances in every respect so there was no possibility of a mistake.” Sinor stated, "This was a new experience for me personally. In life, every experience is a good experience.” Conveying his thanks to the voters and the BPP staff, he mentioned that "many voters did not know how to use the electronic voting machines. Maybe the trustees need to review this. Ballot papers may be a better option, a lesser evil.” Hoping the next five years will be "beautiful” for the trustees he impressed on them; "consensus building should play a key role at every board meeting.”
When Dinshaw urged him to put down the ballot paper recommendations on paper, Marker said he would do that for he too "strongly recommended that we go back to ballot papers.”
Observing that most of the voters were senior citizens and hence there was no need for two queues at some centers, Unwalla urged the new board, "You should involve the youngsters or have a system where youngsters are encouraged to vote.” While conceding that the trustees "have not been able to hold the hands of youngsters,” Dastur felt the parents too should encourage their children to play a proactive role knowing it is for their future.
The event came to a close with the presentation of a bouquet to BPP chief executive officer Aspi Sarkari who had summoned the meeting, and Khambatta. Dastur thanked Khambatta "for keeping our sanity and yours as well,” while Marker remarked, "The Election Commission could not have operated without her.” Sharing the praise with her colleagues, she gustily voiced, "Three cheers for the staff!”