Officials of the Land & Development Office under the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry on Saturday took physical possession of the 15.20-acre Jaipur Polo Ground in the Race Course area of Lutyens’ Delhi, following court proceedings that cleared the way for the eviction of the Indian Polo Association (IPA).

The move came after a Delhi court declined to grant interim protection to the IPA against the Centre’s eviction order, paving the way for enforcement of the May 20 directive under which the land was sought for what authorities described as a “larger public purpose”. The order did not specify the intended use of the land.

A district court, while hearing the IPA’s plea under Section 9(3) of the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971, refused to stay the eviction, citing judicial discipline and earlier refusals by higher courts to grant relief.

In its order, Additional Sessions Judge Dhirender Rana said, "A similar kind of request was moved before the Learned Principal District and Sessions Judge, PHC and Delhi High Court, and no relief was granted to the appellant. Therefore, keeping in view judicial discipline and propriety, I am not inclined to stay the execution of the impugned order even till next date".

The court also noted procedural issues raised by the Centre and said, "Since advance copy of the application was not supplied, arguments on the application cannot be heard as the respondent has a right to file reply to the application and thereafter only, application for stay can be disposed of".

The matter has now been listed before the vacation judge on June 17, with the court directing the Union government to file its response to the appeal and stay application.

The IPA had opposed the Centre’s request for adjournment, arguing that any delay would render the appeal infructuous and sought protection from eviction until the next hearing. The court, however, declined interim relief, also observing that the appeal had already been filed earlier and notices had been issued without any stay.

Earlier, the IPA had approached the Delhi High Court seeking relief, but no interim protection was granted. The High Court had also indicated that the matter should be decided by the district court.

The Centre has informed courts that the Jaipur Polo Ground, along with nearby properties including the Delhi Gymkhana Club, is proposed to be taken over for public purposes. The Land & Development Office has also issued eviction orders to other establishments in the area.

The IPA has termed the eviction “wrongful, arbitrary and contrary to law,” and said it will pursue all available legal remedies. Its counsel, Major (Retd) Nirvikar Singh, said, "As the matter is sub judice and ongoing, the Association does not propose to comment further at this stage".

The dispute is part of a wider set of proceedings involving colonial-era clubs and land parcels in Lutyens’ Delhi, including the Delhi Gymkhana Club and Delhi Race Club, where courts have been hearing challenges to termination of leases and eviction actions by the Centre.