Key facts
- A Delhi court denied the Indian Polo Association (IPA) interim relief against the Centre's eviction order for the Jaipur Polo Ground.
- The court cited judicial discipline, noting similar requests were previously denied by higher courts.
- The Centre has taken physical possession of the 15.20-acre ground.
- The land is slated for public purposes, according to the Union government.
- The IPA has stated it will pursue all available legal remedies.
A Delhi court has declined to grant interim relief to the Indian Polo Association (IPA), paving the way for the eviction of the Jaipur Polo Ground. The Centre's order directing the IPA to vacate the ground was upheld by Additional Sessions Judge Dhirender Rana on June 12.
The court noted that similar requests for a stay had been denied by the Principal District and Sessions Judge and the Delhi High Court, citing judicial discipline as a reason for its decision. The IPA had filed an application seeking to halt the execution of the eviction order.
Officials from the Land and Development Office, under the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry, have taken physical possession of the 15.20-acre ground. The Centre has indicated that the land, along with nearby properties like the Delhi Gymkhana Club, is intended for public purposes.
The IPA has termed the eviction "wrongful, arbitrary and contrary to law" and stated its intention to pursue all available legal remedies. The court has directed the Union government to file its response to the appeal and stay application by June 17.
During a separate hearing, a Delhi High Court judge expressed concerns about the impact of development on Delhi's air quality and the loss of green spaces, questioning the public interest in constructing high-rises.