In a significant development in the ongoing dispute surrounding the prestigious Delhi Gymkhana Club property, the Centre on Tuesday assured the Delhi High Court that no forceful possession of the club premises would be taken even if the land is not vacated by June 5. The assurance came during the hearing of a petition challenging the government’s directive asking the club to vacate its sprawling 27.3-acre property located on Safdarjung Road in Lutyens’ Delhi.
Representing the Centre, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta clarified before the court that June 5 was merely a deadline for voluntary handover of the premises and should not be interpreted as a date for coercive eviction. He informed the bench that the government would proceed strictly in accordance with the law if the property was not vacated by the stipulated date.
During the proceedings, Mehta stated that any further action would follow the legal framework governing eviction from public premises. He emphasised that authorities would adopt due legal procedure and that there would be no abrupt or forceful action against the club or its members.
The High Court then sought confirmation on whether the Centre’s assurance could be officially recorded in the proceedings, to which the Solicitor General agreed.
The bench also made an important observation regarding the rights of the club members. The court pointed out that the individual members were not direct lessees of the land and therefore their membership rights would remain unaffected even if the government eventually reclaims possession of the property.
In another key submission, the Centre informed the court that an alternative location would be provided for the continued functioning of the Delhi Gymkhana Club.
The dispute stems from a notice issued on May 22 by the Land and Development Office under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs directing the club to vacate the premises by June 5. The government invoked Clause 4 of the original lease agreement, which empowers authorities to reclaim the land for a “public purpose”.
According to officials, the land is required for defence and security-related purposes. The Centre has maintained that the move is linked to strategic national requirements, although detailed plans regarding the future use of the land have not yet been publicly disclosed.
The matter has drawn considerable attention due to the historic and elite status of the Delhi Gymkhana Club, one of the capital’s most prominent institutions located in the heart of Lutyens’ Delhi. The case is expected to have broader implications regarding government control over leased public land and the interpretation of “public purpose” provisions in legacy lease agreements.
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