Delhi Gymkhana Club members and staff have challenged the Centre’s eviction notice in the Delhi High Court. The case pits a defence infrastructure claim against allegations of vague reasoning and denial of due process.
Delhi Gymkhana Club members and staff have moved the Delhi High Court against the Centre’s show-cause notice seeking their eviction from the club’s premises on Safdarjung Road. The applications seek a stay on the operation of the notice and are listed for hearing before Justice Avneesh Jhingan on July 6.
The fresh applications are part of a pending lawsuit filed after the Land and Development Office’s May 22 order directed the colonial-era club to return its land by June 5 on the ground of “strengthening and securing defence infrastructure”. The court challenge has been brought by club member Vijay Khurana and the Delhi Gymkhana Club Ltd Staff Welfare Association.
On June 29, the Land and Development Office under the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry issued a show-cause notice to the club, asking why an eviction order should not be passed under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971. The notice, issued by Estate Officer Bipin Kumar Singh, directed the club and all persons concerned occupying the premises to submit their response by July 7 and appear for a personal hearing on the same day at 2.30 pm.
The latest move came more than a month after the Centre told the Delhi High Court on May 26 that it would not take forceful possession of the 27.3-acre premises by June 5, though it said the land was required for “strengthening and securing defence infrastructure”.
In his lawsuit, Khurana said the “vague and generalised reasons” of defence infrastructure and security given by the Centre were a “sham”. He alleged that the move was an “attempt to effect forced eviction” instead of following the due process of law. The petition is stated to be supported by more than 500 members of the club.
