Not only Delhi Gymkhana Club, Delhi Race Club and Polo Association are also facing eviction | Today’s news
The central government on Tuesday told the Delhi High Court that it will not take forcible possession of the Delhi Gymkhana club, days after it was asked to hand over the premises.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Delhi HC on Tuesday that any eviction proceedings would be initiated in accordance with law after giving proper notice to the residents.
Delhi Gymkhana Club faces eviction
The center had asked the Gymkhana Club in Lutyens’ Delhi to hand over the premises, citing that the 27.3-acre plot was required for “strengthening and securing defense infrastructure”.
Read also | Why is the government trying to evict the Delhi Gymkhana club? Controversy explained
An order issued by the Lands and Development Office (L&DO) under the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs said the premises, which are located in a highly sensitive and strategic area of Delhi, are critically required for strengthening and securing defense infrastructure and other vital public safety purposes.
Delhi Gymkhana Club is looking for an alternative plot
It was reported on Monday that the general committee overseeing the Delhi Gymkhana Club has urged the Center not to disrupt the functioning of the institution and has asked the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and the L&DO to consider allotting an alternative plot to relocate the club in case the takeover goes ahead.
One of the committee members told PTI that in the interests of the members, the employees and other stakeholders should be protected before any decision affecting the club’s operations is implemented.
HC lifts remain on Delhi Race Club eviction
In a related development, the Delhi HC on Tuesday allowed the central government to resume eviction proceedings against the Delhi Race Club over its continued government occupation.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyay and Justice Tejas Karia allowed an appeal filed by the Union government against an interim order that stayed the eviction proceedings against Delhi Race Club under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorized Occupants) Act, 1971.
Read also | The Center directs the Delhi Gymkhana Club to hand over the premises by June 5; here’s why
Delhi Racing Club
The Delhi Race Club is situated on 53 acres of government land on Race Course Road, now called Lok Kalyan Marg. According to the government, the club’s lease expired on 31 December 1994 and was not renewed thereafter.
Since no further extension was allowed, the further occupation of the land by the club was unauthorized and subject to review under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorized Occupants) Act, the Center argued.
On March 13, the center issued a notice to the Delhi Race Club, alleging that it continued to occupy the premises without authorization and sought its peaceful possession on the grounds that the land was needed for public purposes.
An eviction notice has been served on Jaipur Polo Grounds
Another major sports facility facing eviction is the Polo Association of India’s Jaipur Polo Grounds in the same area.
It also served a 15-day eviction notice on March 12, but on March 25, the Delhi HC restrained the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs from “forcibly occupying” Delhi Race Club at Kamal Ataturk Marg and Jaipur Polo Ground.
The court ruled that even if the government seeks to reclaim land for “larger public purposes,” it must follow “due process of law.”
Read also | NCLT allows government to take over Delhi Gymkhana club. Read here
The IPA, represented by senior advocate Rajiv Nayar, said the association had been in continuous possession of the land for over four decades and had already made lease payments up to March 2030.
However, the center argued that the lease had expired in 1993 and the IPA was only a “licensee” with no right to remain.
Key things
- The government insists on reclaiming the land for public safety and cites expired leases as the reason for the eviction.
- The legal battles reflect the tension between the public interest and the rights of long-standing institutions.
- Due process is emphasized as essential in the handling of eviction proceedings, which ensures justice for the parties concerned.
