Delhi Race Club receives eviction notice

The Delhi Race Club (DRC) has received an eviction notice from the Land & Development Office (L&DO) asking it to vacate the government land it occupies at Race Course Road in New Delhi within 15 days.

According to the notice dated March 12, the club is occupying approximately 53.242 acres of government land originally leased in 1926. The lease, which had been extended from time to time, expired on December 31, 1994, and no renewal had been granted since. 

The club has issued an intimation to its stakeholders and interested persons stating that the matter has been ongoing with the government authorities for some time. It said it has been taking all necessary legal steps to safeguard its lease rights and the conduct of horse racing from the premises, while seeking advice from legal experts and senior advocates.

The DRC also revealed that its representatives were called for an informal meeting on March 6 by officials of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, where they were informed that the land was required for an important public purpose.

However, while consulting its legal team about the next course of action, the club stated it was “shocked” to receive an email from the L&DO on March 13 directing it to vacate the premises within the stipulated period and the failure to comply with the notice could lead to legal proceedings for eviction and recovery of possession of the land.