In a major development, the Delhi High Court on Tuesday cleared the way for eviction proceedings against the Delhi Race Club, setting aside a previous order that had temporarily halted the process.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia allowed an appeal filed by the Central government, effectively overturning a single-judge bench’s order from April 24 that had stalled the eviction action.
“In view of the discussions made and reasons given above, the appeal is allowed and the single judge order is set aside,” the bench announced on Tuesday. A detailed copy of the court’s written order is currently awaited.
The Legal Battle Over Prime Public Land
The dispute centers on 53.4 acres of prime land occupied by the Delhi Race Club. The legal tussle intensified after the Centre, represented by standing counsel Ashish Dixit, challenged the single judge’s April 24 directive.
That previous ruling had restrained the government’s estate officer from taking further action under a show-cause notice issued on April 17, 2026. The notice, served under Sections 4(1) and 4(2)(b)(ii) of the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, had demanded that the Delhi Race Club explain why it should not be evicted from the public premises it currently occupies.
In its appeal to the division bench, the Centre argued that the single judge’s intervention was premature. The government contended that the writ petition was directed solely against a preliminary show-cause notice, bypassing an established and comprehensive statutory mechanism. According to the Centre, the law already provides a complete process for dispute resolution, beginning with adjudication before the estate officer and followed by an appellate remedy under Section 9 of the Act.
Expired Lease and Claims of Unauthorised Occupation
A key pillar of the Centre’s argument was that the Delhi Race Club’s lease had already expired, rendering its continued occupation of the 53.4-acre property unauthorized.
Government counsel maintained that any defense or claims raised by the Delhi Race Club—including assertions of a subsisting lease or lawful possession of the land—must first be presented to and decided by the estate officer rather than being bypassed through early litigation.
A Broader Crackdown on Iconic Delhi Clubs
This ruling comes during a highly active week for prime real estate disputes in the capital. On the very same day as this decision, another bench of the Delhi High Court was scheduled to hear a separate petition challenging a government order that directs the vacation of the iconic Delhi Gymkhana Club by June 5.
