Legal Challenge Intensifies Over Delhi Gymkhana Club Eviction
Members and employees of the Delhi Gymkhana Club have filed applications in the Delhi High Court seeking a stay on a show-cause notice issued by the Centre under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971. The notice, dated June 29, demands that the club explain why an eviction order should not be passed against it. The matter is scheduled for hearing before Justice Avneesh Jhingan on July 6.
Club member Vijay Khurana and the Delhi Gymkhana Club Ltd Staff Welfare Association have challenged the notice, arguing that the government's reasons for reclaiming the 27.3-acre property are vague and lack specificity. The petition contends that references to "strengthening and securing defence infrastructure" are insufficient and amount to an "attempt to effect forced eviction" without due process. Over 500 members have backed the legal challenge, according to the petition.
Government’s Demand and Earlier Proceedings
On May 22, the Land and Development Office (L&DO), under the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, directed the colonial-era institution to hand over the land by June 5, citing requirements for defence infrastructure. The dispute escalated when Estate Officer Bipin Kumar Singh issued the show-cause notice on June 29, requiring the club and all occupants to submit replies by July 7 and appear for a personal hearing the same day.
The latest proceedings follow an earlier hearing in May, where the Centre assured the Delhi High Court that it would not take forcible possession without following due process. Recording that assurance, the court declined to grant interim protection to the club at that time.
Broader Context of Government Land Reclamation
The dispute over the Delhi Gymkhana Club is part of a wider push by the Centre to reclaim government-owned land in Lutyens' Delhi. Last month, the government took physical possession of the 15.20-acre Jaipur Polo Ground following eviction proceedings, stating the land was needed for a larger public purpose. Established in 1913, the Delhi Gymkhana Club is among the capital's oldest private clubs and has been at the centre of a legal and public debate since the Centre initiated steps earlier this year to reclaim the property.
