The Delhi High Court on Monday refused to pass any status quo order on the takeover of Jaipur Polo Ground in Lutyens Delhi by the Central government from the Indian Polo Association last week.
Justice Tejas Karia added that the Indian Polo Association (IPA), which manages the ground, can make the request before the Patiala House Court, which is hearing its challenge to the government's eviction notice.
The Court made the remark after counsel appearing for the IPA requested the Bench to pass a status quo order till June 17, when the district court will hear their application seeking a stay on the government's eviction order.
"It is a polo ground. If they start digging it, years of work will go away. Let them not start digging it. I am requesting for status quo till Wednesday," IPA counsel, Senior Advocate Akshay Makhija, said.
The request was opposed by Central Government Standing Counsel (CGSC) Ashish Dixit.
Justice Karia said that the Association can argue this before the district court.
The Bench added that the district court judge will decide IPA's plea for stay on its own merits, without being influenced by the observations or decisions of the Principal District and Sessions Judge and the Delhi High Court.
The IPA approached the High Court against the June 12 order of the Patiala House Court refusing to stop the Central government from taking over the Jaipur Polo Ground.
A day later, the ground was taken over by the government.
In his order, vacation judge Dhirendra Rana had refused to stay the execution of the government's eviction notice, observing that a similar request was made before higher courts and no relief was granted.
"Therefore, keeping in view the judicial discipline and proprietary, I am not inclined to stay the execution of impugned order even till next date," Judge Rana had said.
The Union government has moved to reclaim prime parcels of land in Lutyens’ Delhi, including the Jaipur Polo Ground, the Delhi Race Club precinct and the historic Delhi Gymkhana Club. The government argues that these properties are required for “larger public purposes”, national security needs, defence infrastructure and governance-related projects.
However, the move has been challenged in the courts.
Recently, the Delhi High Court criticised the move, stating that taking over green spaces and heritage structures in the heart of the city will damage the environment.
"Little breather we have in the NDMC [New Delhi Municipal Council] area is also going to go. All of us are going to suffocate and die. Government never needed the land in 200 years? Only you know what you are going to make Delhi into. You are saying Delhi people, please go to chhota-mota mountain [small mountains] and Delhi will not be fit. You have no idea how we are choking. Small lung that we have, you are going to take it away," Justice Neena Bansal Krishna said earlier this month.