Jaipur Polo Ground possession taken by Centre after court declines interim relief

The Central Government has taken possession of the Jaipur Polo Ground in Delhi's Race Course area and placed an official notice on the property declaring it government land. The notice, issued by the Land and Development Office (L&DO), warns against any unauthorised occupation, encroachment, construction activity, or other illegal use of the premises. The move comes amid an ongoing legal dispute between the Government of India and the Indian Polo Association (IPA) over possession of the multi-acre property.

The dispute relates to an eviction order issued on May 20, 2026, directing the Indian Polo Association to vacate the premises. The association challenged the order and subsequently filed an appeal under Section 9 of the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971, seeking a stay on its execution. The matter was heard on June 12 by Vacation Judge Dhirendra Rana at the Patiala House Courts.

During the proceedings, the Union Government argued that no lease currently existed in favour of the association and maintained that the land was required for public and defence purposes. Government counsel submitted that limited land was available in central Delhi and that the property was needed for important governmental and defence-related activities. The Centre also contended that no grounds existed for granting a stay on the eviction order.

The court noted that the eviction order had been issued on May 20 and that the appeal was filed on June 3. It further recorded that neither the appellate court nor the Delhi High Court had granted any interim stay on the execution of the eviction order. The court also observed that the Delhi High Court had disposed of the association's writ petition on June 8 without granting any ad-interim protection against eviction.

Declining to stay the execution of the eviction order, the court stated that similar relief had already been refused by the Principal District and Sessions Judge and that judicial discipline did not warrant a different view. The court directed the Union Government to file its reply to the appeal and stay application and listed the matter for further hearing on June 17. Following the refusal of interim relief, the Centre proceeded to place a possession notice at the Jaipur Polo Ground and formally asserted control over the property.