Jaipur Polo Ground – Delhi High Court Defers Hearing, Seeks Status Quo on Historic Turf
Jaipur Polo Ground – The Delhi High Court on Wednesday postponed further proceedings in the legal dispute involving the Jaipur Polo Ground, while indicating that there was no immediate necessity for the Central Government to carry out any work at the site since it had already taken possession of the property.
The matter came up before Justice Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar, who scheduled the next hearing for July 9. During the proceedings, the court also noted the assurance previously given by the Centre regarding the condition of the internationally recognised polo ground.
Association Requests Protection of Playing Surface
Representing the Indian Polo Association (IPA), Senior Advocate Kirtiman Singh appealed to the court to ensure that the playing turf remains undisturbed until the legal challenge is finally decided. He argued that even if the association does not ultimately succeed in the case, preserving the field is important because it is required for the upcoming polo season.
The court, however, observed that the association had questioned the order of the Patiala House Court without placing the relevant order before the High Court. In response, Singh informed the bench that the certified copy of the lower court’s decision had not yet been made available to the association.
Centre Says No Immediate Work Planned
Appearing for the Central Government, Standing Counsel Ashish Dixit stated that the authorities were themselves uncertain whether the order of the Delhi court had formally been pronounced. According to him, the vacation bench had functioned for only a limited period, and the regular court had since resumed.
After considering the submissions, Justice Shankar remarked that there was no urgency to disturb the ground because the government was already in possession of the land. Dixit assured the court that the Centre would continue to honour the commitment it had previously given before the High Court and would not undertake any activity contrary to that assurance.
Following these submissions, the court fixed July 9 as the next date of hearing.
Background of the Legal Dispute
The case stems from the Central Government’s decision to evict the Indian Polo Association from the 15.20-acre Jaipur Polo Ground located in New Delhi’s Race Course area. The association has challenged the eviction order issued on May 20 and has sought restoration of possession of the property.
In its petition, the association has also requested judicial protection against any excavation, demolition, digging, uprooting, or structural modification at the venue while the appeal remains under consideration.
Association Highlights Importance of the Venue
According to the Indian Polo Association, the Jaipur Polo Ground is not an ordinary open field but a specialised sports facility developed for international-standard polo competitions. The organisation has argued that maintaining the turf requires continuous care and that any physical alteration could permanently damage the playing surface.
The association has maintained that irreversible changes to the ground during the pendency of the case would undermine the purpose of the legal proceedings, especially if the court later rules in its favour.
Earlier Court Proceedings
The dispute had previously been examined by a vacation bench of the Delhi High Court. At that stage, the bench had observed that granting a stay on the eviction would not be appropriate because the government had already taken possession of the property.
However, the court had recorded the Centre’s statement that no digging would take place on the playing area. Government representatives had clarified that any work at the site was limited to marking the property’s boundaries rather than altering the sports facility itself.
With the Centre once again reaffirming that it will adhere to its earlier undertaking, the High Court is expected to continue hearing the matter on July 9, when the legal challenge by the Indian Polo Association will be taken up for further consideration.