Delhi Gymkhana Club
New Delhi: The Centre has asked Gymkhana Club in Lutyens’ Delhi to hand over the premises by June 5, citing that the 27.3-acre plot was required for “strengthening and securing defence infrastructure.”
The order, issued by the Land and Development Office (L&DO) under the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry, stated that the premises, located in a highly sensitive and strategic area of Delhi, is critically required for the strengthening and securing of defence infrastructure and other vital public security purposes.
Nestled in the heart of Lutyens’ Delhi, the sprawling Delhi Gymkhana Club stands adjacent to the Prime Minister’s residence on Lok Kalyan Marg.
In its letter to the club’s secretary on May 22, the L&DO said the premises situated at 2, Safdarjung Road, were leased to the Imperial Delhi Gymkhana Club Ltd (now known as Delhi Gymkhana Club Ltd) for the specific purpose of maintaining a social and sporting club.
The land is essential to fulfil urgent institutional needs, governance infrastructure and public-interest projects, integrated with the resumption of adjoining government lands, the L&DO said.
“In exercise of the powers conferred under Clause 4 of the Lease Deed, the President of India, through the Land & Development Office, hereby determines the lease and orders re-entry of the aforesaid premises with immediate effect,” it stated.
“Upon such re-entry, the entire plot of land measuring 27.3 acres, along with all buildings, standing erections, structures, lawns, and fittings thereon, shall vest absolutely in the lessor, i.e., the President of India, through the Land & Development Office.”
According to the order, the premises will be taken over by the Land & Development Office on June 5.
“You are directed to hand over peaceful possession of the premises to the representatives of this office on the aforesaid date. In the event of non-compliance, possession shall be taken in accordance with law,” it stated.
“Pickled in Rum…
sinful, ginful, rum-soaked (women &) men,
Survive for three score years and ten,
And some of them, though very few,
Stay pickled till they’re 92!”
One of its members, celebrated author Khushwant Singh’s wrote the above satirical take on the patrons of the Delhi Gymkhana Club.
Founded during the British era, the sprawling 27.3-acre premises started in 1913 under the name “Imperial Delhi Gymkhana Club.” It was renamed the Delhi Gymkhana Club after India gained Independence, while the existing structures were constructed in the 1930s, the Financial Times reported
Initially restricted to “whites-only,” the club opened its doors to India’s “very civilised crowd,” consisting of retired armed officials, bureaucrats, political and legal figures and more, after 1947. In the years after, it became the “go-to-place for a new generation of business people,” symbolising power, elitism, exclusivity, access, colonial influence and, above all, privilege.
The club has 12,000 members, of which 5,600 are permanent members. Every year, around 100-120 members are taken to fill in the vacancies left by former members who either resign or die.
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader LK Advani, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dixit, BJP leader Maneka Gandhi, Congress leader Murali Deora and author Khushwant Singh were and are some of its prominent members.
The Delhi Gymkhana Club shares a wall with the Prime Minister’s residence. For years, the Centre under Narendra Modi’s leadership has targeted the club, citing misuse of allocated land and financial irregularities, but mainly, nepotism.
It stands on one of the city’s most valuable and strategically important land parcels, within the high-security administrative zone that houses several key central government and defence establishments.
According to the Hindustan Times, the Modi government has been trying to take over the premier club through several inspections.
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) had filed a petition with the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) seeking its takeover.
The petition stated that the Delhi Gymkhana Club was registered to promote art, commerce, science, religion, charity or any other useful theme under sections 25 and 26 of the Companies Act in 1913. This made it a “limited company.”
Sources from the ministry told Hindustan Times that only two per cent of the land allocated to the club is used for sporting activities and 30 per cent is used for catering consumables, wines, beverages and cigarettes. “This is misuse of land for purposes other than what it was allocated for,” the official source told HT back in 2020.
It claimed that club memberships are being given arbitrarily, with a waiting list that runs into several years.
Other than the 5,600 permanent members, the club grants non-permanent memberships to eminent people, green card holders, NRIs, women and use of club membership pending elections (UCP) (those whose membership has lasted six to seven years and allowed to use the club pending an election other than those mentioned in the AoA).
Applicants from the government category pay a registration fee of Rs 1.5 lakh, while non-government applicants pay Rs 7.5 lakh. Once elected as members, government applicants pay Rs 5 lakh for lifetime membership and non-government applicants pay Rs 22 lakh.
The government alleged that the club is collecting very high fees for membership applications despite a waiting period that can extend up to 30 years. It also pointed out that no interest is paid on the registration fee during this period.
The petition further argued that 50 per cent of the club’s membership is reserved for children of permanent members, while others wait for more than 20 years. “Others would have to wait 30-40 years to become members, while the children’s membership would be fast-tracked to five years by using a special queue. This is parivarwaad,” the petition stated.
Many believe this takeover is the BJP’s broader agenda to gain control over India’s elite private social institutions.
This post was last modified on May 23, 2026 5:27 pm