Delhi High Court judge Justice Prateek Jalan on Wednesday recused himself from hearing a case over the Centre’s proceedings against the Delhi Gymkhana Club for its eviction from the 27.3-acre premises on Safdarjung Road here.
Justice Jalan directed that the lawsuit by the Delhi Gymkhana Club Ltd Staff Welfare Association be listed before another bench on Friday. Khurana’s lawsuit is stated to be supported by more than 500 club members. The lawsuit filed by the Gymkhana staff has said they are cooks, waiters, kitchen and housekeeping staff, gardeners and groundsmen, electricians and plumbers, lifeguards, security personnel etc., working in the club and sought the protection of their source of livelihood as well as fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19(1)(g) and 21 of the Constitution.
Gymkhana member Vijay Khurana and Delhi Gymkhana Club Ltd Staff Welfare Association have filed separate lawsuits against the Land and Development Office (L&DO)’s May 22 order terminating the colonial-era club’s perpetual lease deed and asking it to return its land by June 5 on grounds of “strengthening and securing defence infrastructure”. It had said that third parties cannot restrain the enforcement of rights arising from the now-determined lease deed between the authorities and the club for the land parcel.
