NEW DELHI — A major legal showdown has erupted in the heart of Lutyens’ Delhi after the iconic Delhi Gymkhana Club moved the Delhi High Court, challenging a Central government directive to vacate its historic 27.3-acre premises by June 5, 2026.

The petition, mentioned urgently before a vacation bench of Justice Avneesh Jhingan by Senior Advocate Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, asserts that the Centre’s sudden eviction order is a “malicious and colourable exercise of power” that directly violates the Constitution of India. The High Court has agreed to hear the civil suit for interim protection on Tuesday.

The Constitutional Challenge: Invoking Article 300A

The lawsuit, formally filed through a longtime club member, Vijay Khurana, takes sharp aim at the legal mechanism used by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs’ Land and Development Office (L&DO). On May 22, the L&DO issued a directive invoking Clause 4 of the club’s century-old perpetual lease deed (dated February 28, 1928), which allows government re-entry for an emergency public purpose.

However, the club’s legal counsel argues that the administrative order fundamentally violates Article 300A of the Indian Constitution, which dictates that no person shall be deprived of their property save by authority of law.

According to the plaint, the Central government itself had explicitly confirmed in an official communication dated December 18, 2009, that the perpetual lease deed confers distinct proprietary rights onto the Delhi Gymkhana Club. The petition reads:

“The notice amounts to an attempt to effect forced eviction through executive force, administrative fiat, and the threat of police power instead of following the due process of law. These proprietary rights cannot be unilaterally or arbitrarily extinguished without formal acquisition proceedings and fair structural compensation.”

‘Vague Security Concerns’ Branded a Sham

The Central government justified the abrupt takeover by stating that the massive land parcel at 2, Safdarjung Road—located in a highly sensitive zone near the Prime Minister’s residence on Lok Kalyan Marg—is required for “strengthening and securing defence infrastructure,” setting up governance facilities, and supporting vital public security operations.

The club’s petition firmly rejects this rationale, calling the stated security concerns a “sham” designed to mask a “premeditated and coordinated design” to wrest total institutional control from its members. The suit points out that the government failed to furnish any specific layout plans, operational data, or intelligence material to justify an immediate national security emergency over the recreational grounds.

Furthermore, the petition highlights that the Centre has offered zero compensation for the loss of premium paid, the historic heritage buildings, or the extensive sports infrastructure standing on the premises, which have been systematically developed and modernized using members’ private funds.

Financial Tussles and Management Uncertainty

The eviction threat comes at a complicated time for the institution. Alongside the security rationale, the L&DO has concurrently pressed the club over $\text{Rs 48 crore}$ in alleged unpaid ground rent.

Conversely, the club’s general committee—which has featured 15 government-nominated directors since a National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) intervention in 2022 over alleged past mismanagement—asserted that the club has achieved an impressive financial turnaround, tracking a projected operational profit of $\text{Rs 9.25 crore}$ for the current fiscal year.

As the June 5 deadline approaches, hundreds of historic staff members and thousands of club members face a state of absolute uncertainty, turning their eyes entirely to the Delhi High Court’s impending ruling on whether a permanent injunction will stall the executive takeover.