Why Centre wants to take over Jaipur Polo Ground in the heart of Lutyens’ Delhi

After the Delhi Gymkhana Club and Delhi Race Club moved court following the Central government’s move to evict them from their premises in the heart of Lutyens’ Delhi, the Jaipur Polo Ground is the latest to seek protection from eviction before the High Court.

The three premises, on either side of Kamal Ataturk Road, are in close proximity to Lok Kalyan Marg, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official residence is.

The land parcel where the ground is situated was gifted by the erstwhile Maharaja of Jaipur to the Delhi Polo Club around 1930. It was formally leased to the Club on February 24, 1951, by the Central Public Works Department for a period of 20 years.

According to the Indian Polo Association (IPA), the lease was extended in 1971 until 1982, and again in 1983 until March 1993.

Following the dissolution of the Delhi Polo Club in 1983, the premises were transferred and allotted to the IPA. In 1984, the association was required to pay ground rent of Rs 400 per acre per year — about Rs 6,080 annually. This rate has remained unchanged since. In April 2025, the IPA paid a total ground rent of Rs 30,400 for a five-year period ending March 31, 2030.

The IPA claimed the government renewed the lease in its favour, and temporarily regularised breaches on the premises from time to time. For example, in 2005, the Centre had demanded an amount of Rs 2.53 lakh which included damages.

The government, however, asserted that the lease expired in 1993 and IPA has since continued in illegal occupation of the premises “without any valid lease, authority or permission”. The issue was first raised in 2017, when the government alleged illegal occupation, though the matter was subsequently put to rest.

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Then, on March 12 this year, the government issued an eviction notice. The IPA moved the Delhi HC and invoked arbitration.

Even as arbitration proceedings were underway, the government issued a show-cause notice on April 17, terming the IPA an unauthorised occupant. On May 20, an eviction order was passed; the IPA claimed it was issued without affording them a fair and meaningful opportunity of hearing.

The May 20 order by the estate officer, under the Land and Development Office (L&DO) of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, states that the land is to be used “for a larger public purpose and benefit”, minus any details on the said purpose or benefit.

Opposing the eviction notice, the IPA told the government that the association cannot be treated as an ordinary private occupant and is outside the sweep of the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971.

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The Association also argued that the Jaipur Polo Ground is “one of the few remaining large open green spaces in the locality and serves as an important ecological and recreational asset for the city”.

Notably, as per IPA’s own records, even as of 2022, it had written to the L&DO seeking renewal of its lease for the Jaipur Polo Ground.

Equestrian significance

Over decades, the Jaipur Polo Ground has been a centre of national and international polo events and tournaments such as the Asian Games equestrian events, IPA National Polo Championship, Indian Masters Trophy, among others.

In February 1922, the Jaipur Polo Ground hosted a polo match between Jodhpur and Patiala, which according to IPA, was witnessed by 1,50,000 people at the time.

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The Ground has also been closely associated with the renowned Delhi Horse Show, attracting participants and riders from across the country; it is also used extensively for training horses.

As highlighted by the IPA, the government’s eviction order comes at a time when there are “several major upcoming events to be held at the Jaipur Polo Ground in the near future”, including the IPA National Polo Championship, Baroda Cup, Northern India Polo Championship, Indian Masters Trophy, Cavalry Gold Cup, D’Monde Cup, Col Girdhari Singh Memorial Cup, Junior National Polo Championship and other events.

The IPA earns revenue from sponsorships in events conducted at the Jaipur Polo Ground. In the last five years, it has earned approximately Rs 1.5 crore from sponsorships in events conducted at Ground.

What does the lease deed say?

Clause 3 of the 1951 lease deed stipulates that termination of the lease would require a prior notice of at least six months. The Clause also notes that once peaceful possession is handed over, the lessee shall also be entitled to a refund of the proportionate part of the rent that it may have paid in advance.

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Unlike the Delhi Gymkhana Club’s lease, which is a perpetual lease deed, the Jaipur Polo Ground lease deed has no clause for compensation entitled to the lessee.

In 1983, in a communication by the L&DO to the erstwhile Delhi Polo Club, an additional condition was inserted, bringing in government involvement in part.

It was stated that the government shall have the option to appoint two nominees of the Centre on the working committee of the Delhi Polo Club to “watch the interest of the government in regard to land management and its use”.

These nominees shall have full voting rights on the managing committee to “ensure proper use of land and adequate functioning of the club in accordance with terms of the lease”.

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In 1984, in a communication to the IPA, which had taken over the administration of the ground, this condition was made mandatory.