BPP elections in June/July

Social activist Phiroze Amroliwala, businessman Xerxes Master, social worker Mahrukh Noble — these are some of the names that have been bandied about as possible candidates to fill the vacancy created by the exit of Noshir Dadrawala on March 31, 2011 from the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) board of trustees. Whether any of the three will contest is questionable as Amroliwala is reported to be unacceptable to WAPIZ (World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis), while Master is pressured with expanding business commitments. Noble would be acceptable to BPP chairman Dinshaw Mehta and WAPIZ but not necessarily to the opposition AZA (Alert Zoroastrians Association) headed by industrialist Kersi Randeria.

In his "Parsi Tari Arsi” column titled "Desperately seeking candidates” in The Bombay Samachar of April 17, 2011 noted lawyer and community activist Berjis Desai notes, "the opposition certainly has the resources but is there a candidate with sufficient stature, experience, inclination, time and money? And even if he does exist, will he take the risk?… It is indeed sad that no self-respecting, sober, honest, middle of the road, moderate Parsi is willing to serve as a trustee of the BPP. But it is not at all surprising.”

The BPP is required to hold an election within three months of a vacancy. Newspaper advertisements have already appeared informing the community that the "election for a trustee’s vacancy caused due to the resignation of trustee Noshir H. Dadrawala, is scheduled for the last weekend of June/first weekend of July 2011.”

The public notice mentioned that for all Parsis/Iranis over the age of 18 not hitherto registered on the General/Donor Register of the BPP the last date for enrolling was April 26, 2011. The schedule for the election will be announced shortly, the notice states.