New Delhi: The high-stakes legal confrontation over the future of the historic Delhi Gymkhana Club has intensified, with members and staff formally approaching the Delhi High Court to halt the central government’s latest moves toward eviction from its prime Safdarjung Road premises in Lutyens’ Delhi. Club member Vijay Khurana, alongside the Delhi Gymkhana Club Ltd Staff Welfare Association, has filed urgent applications seeking an immediate stay on a show-cause notice issued by the Centre under the Public Premises Act, 1971. The crucial matter is scheduled for an upcoming hearing before Justice Avneesh Jhingan on July 6.
This fresh round of litigation follows an escalating bid by the Land and Development Office, under the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, to reclaim the sprawling 27.3-acre colonial-era property. On May 22, the L&DO directed the institution to hand over the land, asserting that the location was explicitly required for strengthening and securing vital defence infrastructure. The dispute reached a boiling point on June 29 when Estate Officer Bipin Kumar Singh served a formal show-cause notice, demanding that the club explain why an eviction order should not be executed. The directive requires all occupants to submit their official replies by July 7 and appear for a personal hearing later that afternoon.
In the newly filed petitions, Khurana strongly challenges the foundational basis of the government’s intervention, characterizing the stated motives regarding defence infrastructure and security requirements as vague, generalized, and legally insufficient. The plea argues that the recent steps represent a clear attempt to enforce a forced eviction without adhering to established statutory processes, noting that more than 500 members have actively backed the legal challenge. The current proceedings unfold amid a broader push by the Centre to reclaim highly valued government-owned land across Lutyens’ Delhi, which recently included taking physical possession of the 15.20-acre Jaipur Polo Ground. The developments mark a dramatic chapter for the capital’s iconic private club, established in 1913, which has remained at the center of intense public and legal debate for months.
