New Delhi, June 14: The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has issued a public notice declaring the Jaipur Polo Ground, located near the Delhi Race Club, as government land. This notice, posted on Saturday, pertains to a plot exceeding 15 acres.
The notice was released a day after a judicial ruling, warning against unauthorized occupation. This move to reclaim the polo ground comes amid an ongoing dispute between the central government and the Indian Polo Association (IPA), which manages the ground situated in the heart of the capital.
On Friday, vacation judge Dheerendra Rana of the Patiala House Court stated that the court is not in favor of staying the government’s order to vacate the Jaipur Polo Ground issued on May 20.
The court remarked, “As far as the request to stay the implementation of the disputed order until the next hearing is concerned, I am not inclined to accept this request. A similar request was made before the Principal District and Sessions Judge, PHC, and the Delhi High Court, and no relief was granted to the appellant. Therefore, in light of judicial discipline and propriety, I am not in favor of staying the implementation of the disputed order until the next date.”
Referring to the proceedings before the Delhi High Court, the court noted that the High Court had disposed of the IPA’s writ petition on June 8 and had not granted any interim protection against eviction. The central government aims to take possession of the Jaipur Polo Ground to host significant government and defense-related events in the area.
In a related case concerning the reclamation of leased land in a high-security zone near the Prime Minister’s official residence, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs had issued a notice to the Delhi Gymkhana Club last month via the Land and Development Office.
The notice stated that the 27.3-acre property located at 2, Safdarjung Road is crucial for strengthening and securing defense infrastructure and other essential public safety purposes. It referenced Clause 4 of the perpetual lease deed, which grants the lessor the right to reclaim the property if needed for a public purpose.
Established in 1913 during the colonial era, the Delhi Gymkhana Club is considered one of the oldest and most prestigious social institutions in the country. It has long served as a meeting place for senior bureaucrats, diplomats, military officials, and influential citizens. Subsequently, the Delhi High Court denied the club interim relief against the central government’s move to reclaim the property in Lutyens’ Delhi.
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