Politics

Delhi Gymkhana asks Centre for alternate land options amid order to vacate space

The future of the historic Delhi Gymkhana Club has become the centre of a growing dispute, with the club’s general committee urging the Centre not to take any step that could disrupt its functioning until unresolved concerns are addressed. These concerns include the possibility of relocation and the future of hundreds of employees linked to the institution.

Delhi Gymkhana Club in New Delhi has been served a notice to vacate by June 5. (HT Photo)

In a letter sent to the Land and Development Office (L&DO), the committee constituted by the Government of India asked the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and the L&DO to consider allotting an alternative plot if the proposed takeover moves ahead. Committee members stressed that the interests of members, employees and other stakeholders should be protected before any decision affecting the club is implemented, news agency PTI reported.

Also read | Delhi Gymkhana Club row: Security concern or elite legacy?

The committee highlighted that it has been handling the club’s affairs for more than four years after assuming charge under a National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) order dated ril 1, 2022. During this period, it claimed to have focused on restoring administrative discipline and improving the club’s financial condition.

According to the committee, the club’s finances showed a significant turnaround under its tenure. It said the projected profit and loss statement for 2023-24 reflected a profit of ₹9.25 crore, compared to a loss of ₹12.39 crore in 2021-22. The committee noted that this improvement came despite the club not adding any new memberships, which had earlier been a major source of revenue.

What triggered the controversy?

The Centre has directed the Delhi Gymkhana Club to vacate its Safdarjung Road premises by June 5, saying the land is required for strengthening and securing defence infrastructure and other public security needs in Lutyens’ Delhi, an area that houses several key government and defence establishments.

Also read | ‘Tragic’ vs ‘long overdue’: Mixed reactions pour in over notice to vacate iconic Delhi Gymkhana Club

The order was issued by the Land and Development Office (L&DO) under the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry. The move has sharply divided opinion online and within Delhi’s social circles. To cture both sides of the debate, we speak to critics and supporters of the club

Administrative reforms and digitisation efforts

The committee also pointed to a series of administrative reforms introduced over the past few years. It said standard operating procedures had been implemented across departments and pending litigation, including labour disputes, had been reduced.

Another major task undertaken during this period, according to the committee, was the digitisation and updating of membership records. It claimed that nearly 43 per cent of the records were unavailable in 2022, making the exercise necessary for smoother functioning.

The committee further underlined that members pointed by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) had been working in an honorary cacity, without receiving sitting fees, reimbursements or financial benefits.

At the same time, the committee argued that relocating the club would involve heavy expenditure because the infrastructure and facilities currently in place have been developed over several decades.

Members oppose proposed move

The issue also triggered strong reactions from club members, who held a meeting on Monday and described the proposed takeover as illegal. Members raised concerns over what they called selective action against the institution and argued that similar clubs should get similar treatment.

They also rejected the perception that the club was an illegitimate occupant of public land. According to members, the premises continue to serve as an active space for sports, recreation and cultural activities used by thousands of members and their families.

A member of the general committee said discussions were continuing with officials from the L&DO and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in an effort to prevent the takeover.

We are in regular conversation with the L&DO and officials in the Urban Development Ministry. We are trying our best to ensure that the club continues at its present location, he said.

The member added that the committee was also trying to secure protection for nearly 600 employees associated with the club if relocation eventually takes place.

Members further argued that the long waiting list for memberships reflected the institution’s popularity rather than any illegitimacy. They called for governance reforms instead of shutting down or displacing the club.

Established in 1913, the Delhi Gymkhana Club is regarded by its members as one of the cital’s oldest sporting and social institutions, carrying heritage value that extends beyond the commercial worth of the land it occupies.

(With PTI inputs)

Politics

Bridget Phillipson to ask competition watchdog to review hidden childcare costs

Politics

What are the 10 biggest FIFA World Cup upsets in history?

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is the most eagerly awaited sports event of the year.

Fans are gearing up to see who scores the most goals, who are the biggest performers on football’s grandest stage, and who wins the coveted trophy.

Saudi Arabia 2-1 Argentina (2022)

Argentina came into the match on a 36-match unbeaten streak and were among the top tournament favourites.

Everything seemed to be going to plan for the Argentinians as Lionel Messi converted a 10th-minute penalty to give them the lead. Argentina had another couple of goals disallowed, and it seemed like only a matter of time before they added to their lead as the half-time whistle blew.

However, it was to be a game of two halves.

Saleh Al-Shehri stunned the Argentinians in the 48th minute when he latched onto a long ball and fired a shot through the legs of goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.

Five minutes later, winger Salem al-Dawsari cut inside from the left and curled a cracking shot into the top corner to give Saudi Arabia the lead.

The Saudis weathered the inevitable late Argentina onslaught to see out the victory.

Ultimately, Argentina went on to lift the trophy while Saudi Arabia crashed out in the group stages, following defeats to Poland and Mexico, but their win over La Albiceleste sent Saudi fans into rtures and went down as one of the great World Cup upsets.

Salem al-Dawsari of Saudi Arabia scores the winning goal against Argentina in their FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group C match at Lusail Stadium on November 22, 2022 in Lusail City, Qatar [Julian Finney/]

Politics

3 elephant calves die within 17 days in Chhattisgarhs Dharamjaigarh

Three elephant calves have died within 17 days in Chhattisgarh’s Dharamjaigarh forest division, prompting the forest department to call an expert team from Dehradun (Uttarakhand), Bareilly (Uttar Pradesh), and Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh) to investigate the causes of the deaths and train local staff.

An expert team will assess habitat conditions and recommend preventive measures to reduce elephant mortality. (/Representative)

On Sunday, a calf died after getting trped in a marshy patch inside a pond area under the Pureda-Amjhar forest range despite rescue efforts. The elephant’s mother reportedly remained near the trped calf for hours and attempted to free it by uprooting nearby trees.

Officials said the three deaths have raised fresh concerns over shrinking forest cover, increasing human-animal conflict, and the condition of water bodies inside elephant habitats.

The team comprising wildlife experts and veterinarians will examine the causes of death, study the forest conditions, and train local staff in postmortem procedures, sample collection, and wildlife response, said divisional forest officer Kishore Kumar Upadhyay. He said the exact cause behind the deaths is being examined, and no conclusion has been reached yet.

Officials said eight elephant calves have died in the forest division over the past five months due to drowning, getting trped in marshland, and other unexplained circumstances. They are examining whether food and water scarcity is forcing elephant herds to move towards villages and ponds located near human settlements.

One elephant died after falling into a well in January. Multiple calf deaths were reported between March and May. The expert team is expected to spend time inside forest areas to assess habitat conditions and recommend preventive measures to reduce elephant mortality.

Politics

Uncertainty persists as Trump says Iran deal not fully negotiated

Live updates,

US president says any potential agreement with Tehran will be ‘good and proper’ as mediation efforts continue.

US President Donald Trump delivers a speech about the economy at Rockland Community College Fieldhouse in Suffern, New York, on May 22, 2026 []

Published On 24 May 2026

US President Donald Trump says a deal with Iran is not fully negotiated yet as uncertainty swirls amid continued differences between the two sides.
White House officials have taken a cautious tone while suggesting that a deal could take days to finalise, according to Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Washington, DC.

Politics

CBSE again extends deadline for scanned answer book requests till May 25

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Sunday once again extended the deadline for students seeking scanned copies of their evaluated answer books for Class 12 board examinations, with the last date now revised to May 25 midnight.

Four public sector banks — State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank and Indian Bank — will help CBSE. (HT_PRINT)

The CBSE had earlier extended the deadline from May 22 to May 23, then till May 24, and has now further extended it till May 25 midnight amid complaints from students over difficulties in accessing scanned copies of answer books through the portal.

“In continuation of the circular dated 22.05.2026, and to provide adequate time to students for submitting requests to obtain scanned copies of their evaluated answer books, the last date has further been extended,” the board said in the circular.

The board advised candidates to make use of the extended timeline and submit their plications accordingly, while clarifying that “all other terms and conditions of the facility remain unchanged”.

“It is stated that the start date for accepting re-evaluation requests shall be communicated soon,” the circular said.

The CBSE had earlier begun the process for re-evaluation and verification of answer sheets following concerns raised by some students and parents over the On-Screen Marking system.

Earlier today, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan spoke to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and sought her ministry’s support to overhaul the CBSE payment gateway system, officials said.

During the discussion, it was decided that four public sector banks (PSBs) — the State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank and Indian Bank — will assist the CBSE in strengthening its payment gateway infrastructure and the necessary integration with the post-examination portal, the education ministry said in a statement.

Pradhan has also directed to depute teams of professors and technical experts from IIT-Madras and IIT-Kanpur to examine all the technical issues reported since the rollout of this year’s re-evaluation services and assist the CBSE in ensuring a glitch-free process, the ministry said.

Pradhan has sought a detailed report from the CBSE over complaints of technical glitches faced by students and parents during the re-evaluation process, a source said on Saturday.

“Taking serious cognisance of complaints raised by students and parents over technical disruptions during the CBSE re-evaluation process, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has sought a detailed report on server downtime, payment gateway glitches and operational lses,” the source said.

Officials have been directed to explain the reasons behind the technical failures, preparedness measures and accountability of agencies involved in managing the process, they added.