The Delhi Gymkhana Club must vacate its premises in Lutyens' Delhi by June 5, 2024, following a High Court order [1].
The eviction of the elite institution threatens the status of 14,000 members [1] and highlights a legal battle over land use in one of the city's most expensive districts.
The dispute centers on unpaid ground-rent dues totaling ₹47.58 crore [1]. The club occupies an estate measuring 27.3 acres [1]. This land is held under a perpetual lease dating back to 1927, which established a nominal rent of Rs 15 per acre, or Rs 409.5 per year [2].
Government authorities have challenged the validity of these antiquated terms. The center said that the land is required for defense purposes [2]. This claim, combined with the accumulated debt, led to the court's decision to enforce the eviction.
While some reports round the unpaid dues to ₹47.6 crore [2] and the land area to 27 acres [2], the court's deadline remains the primary point of urgency for the club's administration. The institution now faces the prospect of losing its historic home in the heart of the capital.
Legal representatives for the club have sought to contest the eviction, but the High Court has maintained the June deadline [1]. The ruling effectively ends the club's long-term tenure under the 1927 lease terms.
“The Delhi Gymkhana Club must vacate its premises in Lutyens' Delhi by June 5, 2024.”
This ruling signals a tightening of land-tenure regulations in Lutyens' Delhi, where the government is increasingly reclaiming colonial-era leases for strategic or national security needs. The transition from a nominal 1927 rent to modern valuation creates a massive financial liability that few legacy institutions can absorb, potentially leading to further evictions of historic clubs and societies in the region.
