Amid Delhi Gymkhana Row, Parts Of This Elite Club To Be Sealed After Supreme Court's Order

Last Updated:May 28, 2026, 08:11 IST

The Supreme Court ordered immediate enforcement of a 100-metre prohibited zone around Lal Bangla I and II.

As the controversy around Delhi Gymkhana Club continues to fuel debate over elite institutions occupying prime public land in the national capital, the spotlight has now shifted to another powerful establishment — the Delhi Golf Club (DGC).

The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the immediate enforcement of a 100-metre prohibited zone around Lal Bangla I and II, two Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-protected monuments situated near the entrance of the Delhi Golf Club.

According to a report by Hindustan Times, the court directed authorities to seal all structures and activities falling within the restricted area, including portions of the club’s kitchen located barely three metres from one of the protected sites.

A bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and N Kotiswar Singh passed the directions after reviewing a spot survey report submitted by court commissioners led by senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan along with advocates Nipun Saxena and Vishal Sinha.

“The photos produced in the report reveal that in most of the monuments there is not even a semblance of conservation," the bench observed, noting that several heritage structures inside the club premises appeared neglected and dilapidated.

The court further ordered that no activity would be allowed within 20 metres of nine other historical structures located inside the golf club, although these are not protected under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act.

Appearing for the club, senior advocate Kapil Sibal argued that much of the construction predates the 1958 AMASR law and described the order as “very harsh". He urged the court to defer action until the club had filed a response to the commissioners’ report.

The case has revived larger questions surrounding elite clubs in Delhi that operate on vast stretches of government land under concessional lease arrangements. The Delhi Golf Club, spread across nearly 179 acres in Lutyens’ Delhi near India Gate and Humayun’s Tomb, is among the capital’s most exclusive institutions, known as much for its influential membership as for its sporting facilities.

Like the Delhi Gymkhana Club, the DGC has frequently faced criticism over elitism, restricted access and the use of prime public land for private recreation. Government data shows the Centre has received over Rs 15.54 crore in rent and related charges from the golf club since 2012 — translating to roughly Rs 9 lakh a month for the sprawling estate, whose estimated market value runs into tens of thousands of crores.

The Supreme Court’s intervention is now likely to intensify scrutiny over how such institutions manage public land and preserve the heritage structures that exist within their boundaries.

News india Amid Delhi Gymkhana Row, Parts Of This Elite Club To Be Sealed After Supreme Court's Order

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