New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday sought the Union government's stand on pleas filed by Delhi Gymkhana Club members and staff challenging a show-cause notice issued for their eviction from the club's 27.3-acre premises on Safdarjung Road in New Delhi.
Justice Avneesh Jhingan issued notice to the Union government on applications seeking a stay on the operation of the show-cause notice and asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to ensure that the July 7 hearing before the Estate Officer under the Public Premises Act is adjourned until after the next hearing in the High Court on July 28.
Solicitor General Mehta said the Union government would file its response to the applications.
Noting that a hearing before the Estate Officer was scheduled for July 7, he added, "They can seek an adjournment there."
"Mr Mehta, we are keeping this for the date already fixed (in the main case). Just see it (Estate Officer's hearing) is adjourned beyond that date," Justice Jhingan told the law officer.
The pleas by Vijay Khurana and the Delhi Gymkhana Club Ltd Staff Welfare Association are part of their pending challenge to the Land and Development Office (L&DO) order issued on May 22 terminating the club's perpetual lease and directing it to hand over the land by June 5, saying the site was required for strengthening and securing defence infrastructure.
On June 29, the L&DO, which functions under the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, issued a show-cause notice asking the club to explain why an eviction order should not be passed under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971.
The notice, issued by Estate Officer Bipin Kumar Singh, directed the club and all persons occupying the premises to submit their response by July 7 and appear for a personal hearing the same day at 2.30 pm.
The notice followed the Union government's assurance to the Delhi High Court on May 26 that it would not take forceful possession of the property by June 5 and would instead proceed in accordance with the procedure established by law.
Mehta had then told the court that the Union government would take over the land through the legal process.
