High Court sets aside stay on eviction notice to Delhi Race Club

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday set aside an order staying a show-cause notice issued to the Delhi Race Club in relation to its proposed eviction from the 84-acre premises in Lutyens' Delhi.

A bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia allowed the Centre's appeal as it refused to uphold the single judge order passed on April 24 on a petition by the Delhi Race Club.

"The instant appeal is allowed and the order dated April 24, 2026, of the single judge so far as it directs the estate officer not to proceed further with the show-cause notice is hereby set aside," the bench said.

A detailed copy of the order is awaited.

The Centre issued a notice to the Delhi Race Club on March 13, claiming that it was in continued unauthorised occupation of the premises and sought its peaceful possession on the grounds that the land was needed for public purpose.

Subsequently, on April 17, the authorities initiated proceedings under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act and issued a show-cause notice to the club, calling upon it to explain why an order of eviction and recovery of damages for unauthorised occupation should not be passed against it.

The club, however, assailed the show-cause notice before the single-judge bench, which, in an interim order, directed that the estate officer to not proceed with it till July 30.

The Centre has claimed that the 1926 lease deed with the club for the 84.48-acre plot at Lok Kalyan Marg was not perpetual in nature and it expired on December 31, 1994.

Since no further extension was granted, the club's continued occupation of the land was unauthorised and liable to be examined under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, the Centre argued.