The Delhi High Court on Tuesday postponed the hearing on a petition filed by the Indian Polo Association challenging its eviction from the 15.20-acre Jaipur Polo Ground to August 12, following a work strike by local lawyers.
The proceedings before Justice Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar were deferred because advocates are currently abstaining from work. The strike was sparked by the Delhi High Court full court’s decision supporting an increase in the financial limit, or pecuniary jurisdiction, of local district courts from Rs 2 crore to Rs 10 crore.
Eviction Dispute And Legal Appeals
The Indian Polo Association is contesting a June 18 order by a sessions court, which serves as the appellate authority under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act. The sessions court had rejected the association’s interim application to regain possession of the ground, stay the execution of the government’s May 20 eviction order, and block any physical alterations, digging, or demolition at the site.
During Tuesday’s brief session, legal representatives for both the association and the central government requested an earlier hearing date. The association’s senior counsel urged the court to list the matter in July, pointing out that the sessions court is scheduled to hear the primary case on July 23.
Justice Shankar declined the request for a July date, noting that the association can inform the sessions court about the delay. The judge remarked that unexpected work abstentions disrupt court planning and scheduling.
Concerns Over Turf Damage
Officials from the Land and Development Office took physical possession of the Jaipur Polo Ground, located in the capital’s Race Course area, on June 13.
In its petition, the sports association argued that authorities have already initiated irreversible physical changes, including digging and uprooting, while the legal appeal is still pending. The association stated that the Jaipur Polo Ground is a highly specialized sporting facility requiring meticulous, ongoing maintenance—such as irrigation, mowing, rolling, and aeration—rather than a typical vacant plot.
While the association warned that unauthorized excavation could permanently ruin the turf, the central government’s attorney assured the court that no physical alterations are occurring at this stage, as officials are currently only establishing the boundaries of the premises.
The eviction efforts are part of a broader government plan to reclaim the polo ground and neighboring properties, including the Delhi Gymkhana Club, for public purposes.
