The Central government will not take forceful possession of the Delhi Gymkhana Club land on June 5, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta assured the Delhi High Court on Tuesday.
Following this submission, Justice Avneesh Jhingan ruled that no interim order was required regarding the lawsuits filed by the club’s members and staff. The legal challenge was triggered by the Centre’s May 22 order demanding the club hand over its premises.
Located in the heart of Lutyens’ Delhi, the historic Delhi Gymkhana Club occupies a sprawling 27.3-acre parcel on Safdarjung Road, directly adjacent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence on Lok Kalyan Marg. Founded in 1913 during the British era as the Imperial Delhi Gymkhana Club, the institution was renamed after Independence and remains one of the country’s most prominent and exclusive social clubs.
The Solicitor General, representing the government, clarified before Justice Jhingan that the Centre’s recent notice was intended to terminate the club’s perpetual lease and seek re-entry. However, he emphasized that any eventual eviction proceedings would be initiated strictly in accordance with the law, ensuring due notice is given to the current occupants.
The club had rushed to the Delhi High Court following a directive issued by Deputy Land and Development Officer Suchit Goyal stating that the property falls within a “highly sensitive and strategic area” of the national capital and is urgently required to strengthen defense infrastructure and meet public security needs. According to that order, once re-entry is executed, the entire property—including all buildings, structures, lawns, and fittings—would revert to the ownership of the President of India. The notice had warned that failure to comply by the deadline would result in possession being taken by force under legal provisions.
