The long-pending ownership dispute involving Delhi’s iconic Ambassador Hotel has now reached the Delhi High Court, with the hotel owners challenging an eviction notice issued by the Central government under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971.
Sir Sobha Singh & Sons Private Limited, which owns the hotel, has challenged the June 9, 2026, decision of the appellate court that overturned a 2009 trial court decree, which had upheld the company’s claim over the property. The company has also flagged a June 11 eviction notice issued by the Land and Development Office (L&DO), alleging imminent coercive action against it.
The single-judge Bench of Justice Tejas Karia formally admitted the appeal on Wednesday against the appellate court’s judgment. Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi, appearing for the company, submitted that the eviction notice created an immediate threat of dispossession and sought interim protection against its enforcement.
Central Government Standing Counsel Ashish Dixit, appearing for the Union government, submitted that proceedings initiated under the Public Premises Act were legally independent of the civil appellate verdict and were confined to examining alleged unauthorised occupation. It was further clarified on record that the eviction proceedings would proceed without being influenced by the appellate court’s decision.
Taking this statement on record, the High Court observed that at this stage no interim restraint was required against the eviction notice. The matter has been listed for further hearing on July 23, 2026.
The dispute relates to the northern block of Sujan Singh Park near Khan Market, where the Ambassador Hotel and adjoining residential flats were developed on two parcels of land measuring approximately 7.58 acres each, allotted by the Government of India in 1943.
According to the company, a 1945 agreement to lease contemplated the grant of a perpetual lease upon completion of the project, and the government had actively approved and participated in the development, including the hotel construction. The company maintained that its possession and construction were lawful and in accordance with the terms of allotment.
However, in 1959, the government initiated proceedings alleging misuse of the premises due to the hotel construction and subsequently re-entered the property in 1960, triggering prolonged litigation. The company obtained an interim injunction the same year, which continued until 2009, when a trial court ruled in its favour and directed execution of a perpetual lease.
That decision was later set aside by the appellate court on June 9, 2026. Two days after the reversal, the L&DO issued an eviction notice invoking powers under the Public Premises Act, escalating the long-running dispute into fresh proceedings before the High Court.
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