The central government takes physical possession of the 15.20-acre Jaipur Polo Ground in Delhi’s Race Course area after a district court declines to grant interim relief to the Indian Polo Association (IPA). Authorities from the Land and Development Office (L&DO), under the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, act on an eviction order issued on May 20, which seeks possession of the land for a “larger public purpose.” Local officials put up a notice declaring the site government property and warning against interference.
All outlets report that the dispute centers on ownership and lease status. The IPA contests the eviction, saying it is “wrongful, arbitrary and contrary to law,” and it plans to pursue legal remedies. Media reports also describe a contested tenancy: the IPA has paid rent, while the government says the lease expired in 1993.
While the government cites public purpose as the basis for repossession, several reports say it does not specify what the land will be used for. The move is part of the Centre’s broader actions involving other prominent properties in Lutyens’ Delhi, where courts have also been handling related eviction and lease-termination disputes.
