The Delhi High Court Lets Central Secretariat Club Officers Enter Evicted Premises so they can collect belongings, while the Club’s challenge to the Centre’s derecognition and eviction orders remains pending.
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New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has directed the Centre to permit two officers of the Central Secretariat Club to visit the Club’s premises and collect their belongings and other items, after the authorities took possession of the property and the Club’s office bearers were evicted, in the Club’s writ petition challenging its derecognition and eviction [Central Secretariat Club v. Union of India and Others].
Justice Amit Mahajan passed the order on October 7, 2026, allowing the Club’s early-hearing application. The Court recorded that the matter could not be heard finally that day because it sat only until 3:30 PM owing to a farewell event organised by the Delhi High Court Bar Association.
The Club’s case
The order records that the Club, formerly known as the Talkatora Club, has run the premises at Park Lane since 1926, which is undisputed, and that possession was taken over under the impugned order, which ended its control and resulted in its derecognition. According to the petition, the Club challenges a derecognition order of the Department of Personnel and Training dated July 14 and an eviction order of the Estate Officer dated July 17, and its office bearers were evicted after possession was taken on July 21.
The Club contends that the Centre acted without a show-cause notice or a hearing, in breach of Article 14 and the principles of natural justice. The Centre’s side, including its response to the allegations about the administration of the Club under an ad hoc committee, has not been recorded in the order and is yet to be tested at final hearing.
The directions
The operative direction reads:
“The respondents are directed to permit two officers of the petitioner, to visit the subject premises.”
The officers may collect all belongings and other items. The Club must hand the respondents a list after the visit, and the respondents must then take steps to facilitate collection. Central Government Standing Counsel Radhika Bishwajit Dubey was requested to coordinate with the concerned department so that the direction is carried out within two weeks. The matter is now listed on December 21, 2026, and the earlier date of February 9, 2027 stands cancelled.
Why the order matters
The order is interim and procedural. It decides nothing on the legality of the derecognition or the eviction, and it grants no restoration of possession. It does ensure that the Club’s officers can retrieve property left inside while the challenge awaits final hearing, which follows a pattern of disputes over the Centre’s recovery of Lutyens’ Delhi clubs and premises.
Case Title: Central Secretariat Club v. Union of India and Others [W.P.(C) 11656/2026]
Bench: Justice Amit Mahajan, Delhi High Court
Date of Order: October 7, 2026
Appearances: Senior Advocate Diya Kapur with Nakul Gandhi, Darshit Sidhabatti, Anushka Khaitan, Raghav Kumar and Shruti Jain for the petitioner; CGSC Radhika Bishwajit Dubey with Gurleen Kaur Waraich, Kritarth Upadhyay, Amulya Dev Mishra and Saksham Sharma for the respondents