Members and employees of the Delhi Gymkhana Club have approached the Delhi High Court seeking relief against a show-cause notice issued by the Centre that could pave the way for their eviction from the club's Safdarjung Road premises in Lutyens' Delhi. According to reports from PTI, the applications, filed by club member Vijay Khurana and the Delhi Gymkhana Club Ltd Staff Welfare Association, seek a stay on the operation of the notice and have been listed for hearing before Justice Avneesh Jhingan on July 6. The move comes more than a month after the Centre assured the Delhi High Court on May 26 that it would not take forceful possession of the 27.3-acre property by June 5.
The latest challenge comes after the Land and Development Office (L&DO) issued a show-cause notice on June 29 under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971. As reported by PTI, the notice was issued by Estate Officer Bipin Kumar Singh and directed the club and all occupants of the premises to submit their replies by July 7 and appear for a personal hearing later that day at 2.30 pm. The notice asked the club to explain why an eviction order should not be passed against it. The Centre's action follows the Land and Development Office's direction on May 22 to the colonial-era institution to hand back the land by June 5, citing the need for 'strengthening and securing defence infrastructure'.
The dispute stems from the Land and Development Office's direction on May 22 to the colonial-era institution to hand back the land by June 5, citing the need for 'strengthening and securing defence infrastructure'. According to PTI, the 27.3-acre property has been at the centre of legal and public debate since the government's move to reclaim the property earlier this year. The Gymkhana Club, established in 1913, is among the capital's oldest private clubs and is located at 2, Safdarjung Road in Lutyens' Delhi. The land on which the club functions was originally given to it on a perpetual lease in 1928, with Clause 4 of the lease deed providing that the premises can be re-entered upon by the lessor (Central government) if required for public purpose.
In his petition, Khurana has argued that the reasons cited by the government for reclaiming the property are insufficient and lack specificity. As reported by PTI, the plea states that the references to defence infrastructure and security requirements are 'vague and generalised' and amount to an 'attempt to effect forced eviction' without following the legal process. Khurana's lawsuit is stated to be supported by more than 500 members of the club, with the petition claiming that the government's move was merely a 'sham' to justify eviction proceedings. The petition states that more than 500 members support the legal challenge mounted against the government's action. While hearing the pleas in May, the High Court had refused to pass any interim orders against the directive, coming after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the Bench that any eviction action would be taken only after due notice.
The dispute forms part of a wider battle over government-owned land in Lutyens' Delhi. According to PTI, last month, the Centre took physical possession of the 15.20-acre Jaipur Polo Ground after eviction proceedings, saying the land was required for a larger public purpose. The Centre's latest action follows proceedings before the Delhi High Court in May, when the government assured the court that it would not take forcible possession of the property before following due process. The current legal challenge highlights a significant dispute over the prestigious club's future and represents one of several ongoing battles over government-owned land in the capital's diplomatic enclave. In 2022, the Centre had initiated proceedings before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) against the club for violation of the terms of the lease deed and mismanagement, with the NCLT allowing the Centre's prayer and ordering the appointment of 15 members to be nominated by the Centre for running the day-to-day business of the Club.
