The Central government has taken possession of the Jaipur Polo Ground in Delhi’s Race Course area after a Delhi court refused to stay the execution of an eviction order issued against the Indian Polo Association (IPA), which has been managing the property.
Vacation Judge Dhirendra Rana of the Patiala House Courts refused to grant interim relief to the IPA on Friday, observing that he was not inclined to stay the execution of the eviction order dated May 20, 2026.
The court observed that similar relief had already been declined by the Principal District and Sessions Judge as well as the Delhi High Court. In view of the principles of judicial discipline and propriety, the court found no justification to halt the implementation of the eviction order until the next date of hearing.
The dispute concerned the Union government’s decision to evict the IPA from the multi-acre Jaipur Polo Ground situated in Lutyens’ Delhi. The eviction proceedings were initiated under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971, with the government maintaining that the land was required for public and defence purposes.
Following the refusal of interim protection by the court, the Centre formally assumed possession of the property through the Land and Development Office (L&DO). Notices were installed at the site declaring the land to be the property of the Government of India and warning that any unauthorised occupation, encroachment, construction activity or other unlawful use of the premises would attract legal action under applicable statutes.
The matter came up before the Patiala House Court on June 12 in an appeal filed by the IPA under Section 9 of the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, challenging the eviction order. The association also sought a stay on the execution of the order pending adjudication of its appeal.
Appearing for IPA, Senior Advocate Akshay Makhija opposed the government’s request for additional time to file its reply and urged the court to restrain the authorities from executing the eviction order until the Centre filed its response.
Representing the Union Government, Central Government Standing Counsel Ashish Dixit sought time to file a reply to both the appeal and the stay application. He argued that no case for the grant of interim relief had been made out and contended that no valid lease in favour of IPA was currently subsisting.
Dixit further submitted that an incorrect statement had allegedly been made before the Delhi High Court to the effect that a stay application was pending before the district court. According to the Centre, no such stay application had been filed, and only an interim prayer had been incorporated without specific pleadings seeking interim relief.
The court recorded that the eviction order had been passed on May 20 and that the appeal was instituted on June 3. It further noted that neither the appellate court nor the Delhi High Court had granted any interim stay against the execution of the eviction order.
Referring to the proceedings before the Delhi High Court, the court observed that the writ petition filed by IPA had been disposed of on June 8 without any ad-interim protection against eviction. The High Court had left the issue of interim relief to be considered by the appellate court while observing that there would be no imminent execution of the eviction order until June 12.
The Patiala House Court also took note of the fact that the District Judge, while dealing with the matter on June 3, had not granted any stay against the eviction proceedings. In these circumstances, the Court held that it would be inappropriate to grant relief that had already been declined by superior and coordinate judicial forums.
During the proceedings before the Delhi High Court, the Union government defended the eviction action by contending that the land was urgently required for governmental and defence-related purposes. The Centre submitted that land availability in central Delhi was extremely limited and that the property was needed for important public functions connected with governance and national security.
Consequently, the Court declined to stay the execution of the eviction order and directed the Union government to file its response to the appeal as well as the stay application. The matter has now been listed for further hearing on June 17, 2026.
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