Delhi Gymkhana Club Fights Eviction Order From Centre
The 113-year-old Lutyens' Delhi institution challenges a government directive to vacate its premises, with the matter now before the Delhi High Court
More than a month after the Delhi Gymkhana Club received a notice from the Centre for quitting its 27.3 acre premises in Safdarjung Road, the case is now pending before the Delhi High Court as a legal and administrative tussle has been created.
Origins of the Dispute
In response to the petitions raised by Delhi Gymkhana Staff Welfare Association and Vijay Khurana, a long-time member of the Gymkhana, the Delhi High Court refused to grant interim protection, after the Delhi Solicitor General Tushar Mehta assured the court that no forcible possession would be made without proper due process.
Justice Avneesh Jhingan wrote that none of the proceedings under the Public Premises Act had been initiated and noted that pleadings would be filed in the matter within eight weeks, before the Joint Registrar on July 28.
Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the club, contended that the communication was a final order issued without a precedent of a "show cause" notice. Meanwhile, Senior Advocate Jayant Mehta, acting for the staff association, had grumbled that the government-appointed members running the club could do the deed in tandem with the Centre.
Scale of Impact
The club currently has approximately 14,000 members and is employed by the club by over 500 staff, many of whom rely on the club for their income. It is presently under the supervision of a General Committee, which was appointed by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs after a proceeding before the National Company Law Tribunal.
A Colonial-Era Institution
The Imperial Delhi Gymkhana Club was founded in 1913, on the eve of Independence, it was renamed Delhi Gymkhana Club and eventually membership was extended to Indian Bureaucrats, Diplomats and businessmen. It is still a prominent social institution in the capital city.
The outcome of the case will see whether one of Delhi's old clubs will continue to occupy its historic premises or move elsewhere under the public purpose clause of the government.