Appeals filed by MP Birla Group’s cable companies, including Universal Cables Ltd, Vindhya Telelinks Ltd and Birla Cable Ltd, as well as Harsh Vardhan Lodha were admitted for hearing in the Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday.

The three companies and the Lodha had on Tuesday moved applications challenging a verdict passed by the Single Bench of the same court directing the removal of Lodha from all the positions within the MP Birla Group of Companies during pendency of a suit involving the contested will of the late Priyamvada Birla.

“After admission of the appeals, the Honourable Division Bench was pleased to grant time till tomorrow, when the applications will be taken up again for consideration of interim relief sought by our clients,” said Debanjan Mandal, partner, Fox & Mandal, who represents Lodha.

After protracted arguments over the reappointment of Lodha to the Boards of only three companies in 2019 and 2020, justice Sahidullah Munshi had passed a verdict on Friday restraining Lodha from holding office in the MP Birla Group, though such order was not prayed for. The verdict also affects some 30 entities of the promoter group, whose right to management was affected and which were asked to vote as directed by the joint administrators of Priyamvada Birla’s estate, though they are independent entities and not part of the estate.

The lawyers for Lodha described the Friday’s verdict as a violation of natural justice and contrary to various laws and court rulings.