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Informist, Monday, May 25, 2026

 

NEW DELHI – The Delhi Gymkhana Club Monday moved the Delhi High Court against the Centre's move to take back the land leased to the club in 1928 for strengthening and securing defence infrastructure. The high court will hear Delhi Gymkhana Club's plea on Tuesday.

 

Last week, the Land and Development Office under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs wrote to Delhi Gymkhana Club, initiating the "re-entry and resumption of premises" comprising the club. According to clause 4 of the lease deed, the premises can be re-entered, essentially meaning that the government can take back the leased property if it or any part of it is required for a public purpose.

 

Delhi Gymkhana Club has operated from this land for close to 100 years and its 14,000 members include the elite of Delhi comprising political leaders, top businesspersons and members of the bureaucracy, judiciary, and armed forces. The club currently has around 500 employees.

 

The Land and Development Office said that the premises were located in a highly sensitive and strategic area and were critically required for strengthening and securing of defence infrastructure and other vital public security purposes. The land is essential to fulfil urgent institutional needs, governance infrastructure, and public interest projects, integrated with the resumption of adjoining government lands, it said. 

 

The development office has asked the club to return the land by Jun. 5, failing which "possession shall be taken in accordance with law". Since 2022, the club has been run by a government-appointed general committee, after the National Company Law Tribunal had allowed the government to take over the administration of the club.

 

The club has written a letter to the land and development office and asked the authorities to reconsider, before making any decision about the land parcel, saying that it had invested large sums of money towards improving and enhancing infrastructure and facilities for the benefit of the members. The office should consider that any relocation of the club would entail rebuilding facilities and infrastructure at high cost, the club said. In addition to the members and their interests, the future of all permanent and other employees and staff of the club needs to be protected, it added.  End

 

Reported by Surya Tripathi

Edited by Avishek Dutta

 

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