Members of Delhi’s elite 113-year-old Gymkhana Club prep to challenge govt takeover

Bedi said the impact of the move goes beyond members, as the club has member funds, investments and a corpus built over decades. He said employees, vendors and their families are also linked to the institution, while for many senior citizens and veterans the club is a second home and part of their daily lives.

Another member, Major Atul Dev, an 86-year-old retired Army officer, said he intends to challenge the order in court and claimed no prior warning was given before the notice was issued. He said the move was surprising because the government has already been exercising administrative control over the institution through nominated directors over the last few years.

The order, issued on 23 May by the Land & Development Office (L&DO) under the ministry of housing and urban affairs, invokes Clause 4 of the lease deed, allowing re-entry for public purpose. Signed by the deputy land & development officer on behalf of the President of India, who is the lessor under the lease, it cites national security, defence infrastructure and public-interest projects for taking over the 27.3-acre Delhi Gymkhana premises at Safdarjung Road.

The order states that the land, buildings and structures will vest in the President of India and directs the club to hand over possession by 5 June 2026.

Emails seeking response from the ministry of housing and urban affairs remained unanswered until press time.

Lawyers said members may have grounds to challenge the order, particularly to seek interim relief, though courts are usually cautious in interfering with broader policy decisions.

“Delhi Gymkhana is likely to first move the Delhi High Court seeking urgent interim protection. The club may challenge the order on grounds of arbitrariness, lack of due process and improper exercise of lease powers, while seeking relief against dispossession and re-entry,” said Alay Razvi, managing partner at Accord Juris.

Delhi Gymkhana Club was established in 1913 as the Imperial Delhi Gymkhana Club after the British shifted India’s capital from Calcutta to Delhi. Initially created for British civil servants and military officers, it became Delhi Gymkhana Club after Independence and evolved into one of the capital’s most elite institutions.

With a sprawling campus at Safdarjung Road, the club's membership came to include bureaucrats, defence personnel, judges, politicians, diplomats and senior lawyers. Over the years, it developed into a major sports and recreation hub.

The club currently has around 11,000 registered members, including politicians, lawyers, bureaucrats and retired armed forces personnel, while the active membership is pegged around 1,200–1,400.

There is context to the latest order. The legal battle over the management of Delhi Gymkhana has been ongoing since 2020, when the ministry of corporate affairs intervened over governance, management and election-related issues. Proceedings before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) in 2021 and later the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) led to government-appointed administration and nominated directors taking charge. The Centre has effectively controlled the club for nearly four years, while the matter remains pending before the Supreme Court.

“Quite frankly, if the lease allows the lessor to terminate the lease deed, there may not even be a requirement to give reasons. However, much will depend on the facts, including any past communication, agreements or understandings between the government and the club,” said Akshat Pande, managing partner at Alpha Partners.

However, Aman Abbi, an associate partner at 3Sixty Law, said that while invoking national security does "raise the bar for judicial intervention, but it is not a blank cheque”. Courts can still examine the basis of the action and seek further justification from the government where required, Abbi added.