KANPUR (Feb 14, 2026) — In a major escalation of the boardroom battle at Jagran Prakashan Limited (JPL), the company’s promoter and holding firm, Jagran Media Network Private Limited (JMNIPL), has issued a special notice to remove seven independent directors and one whole-time director.
The notice, dated February 12, 2026, aims to purge nearly half of the current board, citing alleged irregularities in their appointments and a breakdown in corporate governance.
Directors Proposed for Removal
The special notice targets the following high-profile board members:
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Independent Directors: Divya Karani, Shailendra Swarup, Anita Nayyar, Kemisha Soni, Pramod Agarwal, Shalin Tandon, and Arun Anant.
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Whole-Time Director: Satish Chandra Mishra.
The Core Dispute: Voting Power & “Misrule”
The holding company (JMNIPL) alleges that these directors were not validly appointed because the Chairman, Mahendra Mohan Gupta, reportedly did not exercise JMNIPL’s voting rights as instructed by its own board.
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The Chairman’s Stand: Mahendra Mohan Gupta has countered that the matter of “voting rights” is currently sub judice (under judicial consideration).
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Tribunal Action: Two major petitions—Mahendra Mohan Gupta vs. Devendra Mohan Gupta and Shailendra Mohan Gupta vs. Jagran Media Network—are currently being heard at the NCLT, Allahabad Bench. The latest hearing was scheduled for February 13, 2026.
What Happens Next?
The JPL Board discussed the removal notice during its meeting on February 12 and stated it will take “necessary and appropriate steps” under the law.
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EGM Likely: An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) must now be convened for shareholders to vote on the removal of these directors.
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Legal Shield: Given that the dispute is tied to the internal succession struggle of the Gupta family, the NCLT’s upcoming rulings will likely determine if the EGM can proceed or if the current board stays protected under interim orders.
