Delhi High Court heard the Delhi Gymkhana Club case, with the Centre saying police would not move in on June 5 and eviction will follow due process, while Justice Avneesh Jhingan termed the plea as premature.
Delhi High Court on Tuesday began hearing the Delhi Gymkhana Club case, where the Centre clarified, “It is not as if the police will move in on June 5 and take possession of the land. We will proceed strictly in accordance with due process.”
The Centre, last week, served an eviction notice on the prestigious club, seeking to reclaim its 27-acre prime property at the heart of Lutyens’ Delhi.
The government cited a clause in the lease agreement of the 113-year-old club, asserting that the land is needed for a public purpose.
The Centre asked the club to hand over the premises by June 5.
Asked whether any action would be taken on June 5, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, responded in the negative.
Mehta told the court,
“No action can be taken on June 5. We will have to give notice,”
Mehta added,
“Possibly, the government may offer alternate accommodation. The club has been given the choice to vacate on its own. It is not the case that the police will rush in and forcibly take possession,”
The Land and Development Office under the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs directed the club to surrender its 27.3-acre premises by June 5, stating that the land was required for urgent institutional needs, governance infrastructure and public interest project, including strengthening defence-related infrastructure.
The Delhi Gymkhana Club approached the Delhi High Court to challenge the Centre’s directive to vacate the premises.
Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the club, told the court that the Centre has issued a directive rather than a show-cause notice. After the notice, the Delhi Gymkhana Club wrote to the Centre indicating that any sudden action against it would affect multiple stakeholders, including employees and patrons.
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The club also sought clarification on whether an appropriately located alternate plot of land would be provided for relocation.
The club, which is frequented by select diplomats, bureaucrats, military leaders, and the national capital’s elite and intellectual circles, said in its letter that it serves around 14,000 members and users who pay subscription and membership fees to access its facilities.
It also stated that it employs 500 people and hosts cultural and sporting events, adding that any abrupt action by the government would have wide-ranging consequences for these stakeholders.