Delhi High Court Allows Central Secretariat Club Officers To Access Premises After Eviction

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the Union Government to allow two officers of the Central Secretariat Club to visit its premises and collect their belongings and other items, following the eviction of the club’s office bearers from the property. Justice Amit Mahajan passed the interim order while hearing a challenge to the government’s decision to derecognise and evict the 107-year-old institution.

A Century-Old Institution Faces Eviction

The Central Secretariat Club, formerly known as the Talkatora Club, has been operating from its premises at Park Lane, New Delhi since 1926. The dispute arose when the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) issued a derecognition order on July 14, followed by an eviction order from the Estate Officer on July 17. The authorities took possession of the premises on July 21, and the club’s office bearers were subsequently evicted.

The club challenged both orders in a writ petition, arguing that they were arbitrary and unconstitutional. According to the petition, the trouble began in March 2023 when the DoPT constituted an ad hoc administrative committee to conduct elections for a two-month period. The club alleged that this committee unlawfully continued for nearly two years, exceeded its mandate, and was responsible for numerous financial and administrative irregularities, including delayed GST filings, non-payment of statutory dues, and illegal payments.

Court Grants Interim Access

When the matter came up for hearing, the court noted that the office bearers had already been evicted and that the possession of the premises had been taken over. Since the case could not be finally heard due to time constraints—the court was only available until 3:30 PM on account of a farewell gathering for Hon’ble Ms. Justice Chandrasekharan Sudha—Justice Mahajan passed an interim direction.

“The respondents are directed to permit two officers of the petitioner, to visit the subject premises and collect all their belongings and other items, the list of which shall be provided to the respondents after visiting the property,” the court ordered.

The court further directed that after the list is provided, the authorities shall take steps to facilitate the collection of those goods by the club. Central Government Standing Counsel Radhika Bishwajit Dubey was requested to coordinate with the concerned officers and the department to ensure compliance within two weeks.

Key Observations

The court recorded that “undisputedly, the petitioner was running the Club at property bearing No. 07C to 10C, Park Lane, Type 5A, New Delhi since the year 1926” and that “the possession of the premises has been taken over pursuant to the impugned order whereby the petitioner’s control over the Club and consequently, the property was derecognized.” It also noted that “the office bearers of the petitioner have since been evicted from the property.”

What Next?

The matter has been listed for further hearing on December 21, 2026, with the earlier fixed date of February 9, 2027 being cancelled. The club is seeking quashing of the DoPT derecognition order and the eviction order, arguing that the authorities are “attempting to weaponize” their own administrative failures to “forcefully dispossess and extinguish” a historic institution, in violation of Article 14 of the Constitution and principles of natural justice. The interim direction ensures that the club’s officers can at least retrieve their personal belongings while the legal battle continues.