Historic Venues Secure Temporary Legal Shield from Eviction

The Delhi High Court granted a temporary reprieve to the Delhi Race Club and the Indian Polo Association, staying their eviction from longstanding premises on March 25. This decision restrains the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs from forcefully acquiring the sites at Kamal Ataturk Marg and the Jaipur Polo Ground until at least April 9.

Justice Mini Pushkarna referenced the clubs' historical occupancy, highlighting the race club's operation on a 53.242-acre area since 1926. The club argued it functioned as a 'holding over' tenant under property law, branding the eviction notice illegal.

Simultaneously, the court addressed a petition from the Indian Polo Association, which has been on the grounds over four decades. Emphasizing due process, the court demanded the government cannot bypass legal protocols despite claims of expired leases cited by the Ministry.