Polo Association exits arbitration litigation, wants 500 acres at alternate site
The Indian Polo Association withdrew its arbitration plea over the Lutyens’ Delhi ground, seeking an alternative site for a world-class polo and equestrian facility.
The Indian Polo Association (IPA), which operates the 15.20-acre Jaipur Polo Ground in the heart of Lutyens’ Delhi, Monday withdrew its petition that sought the appointment of an arbitrator to resolve its dispute with the Centre over the land.
Instead, the IPA wants “at least” 500 acres of land within the national capital be allotted to it as an alternative to the Jaipur Polo Ground.
The Delhi High Court permitted the IPA to withdraw the plea, dismissing the petition.
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The dispute
In May, the central government had issued an eviction order to the Association to vacate the premises — one of the national capital’s most prominent sporting venues. The order had stated that the land was required “for a larger public purpose and benefit”.
In June, officials from the Land and Development Office (L&DO) under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs had taken possession of the premises.
The land parcel was gifted by the erstwhile Maharaja of Jaipur to the Delhi Polo Club around 1930. It was formally leased to the club on February 24, 1951, by the Central Public Works Department for a period of 20 years.
According to the IPA, the lease was extended in 1971 through 1982, with further extensions continuing thereafter. Following the dissolution of the Delhi Polo Club in 1983, the premises were transferred and allotted in favour of the IPA.
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In May this year, the Association moved a petition under Section 11 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, seeking the appointment of Justice Jayant Nath, a former Delhi High Court judge, or any other person, as an arbitrator to adjudicate over alleged breach of lease terms as claimed by the government.
On Monday, IPA withdrew its petition in the HC. It informed a bench of Justice Om Prakash Shukla that it has made a representation to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) on August 7 and wishes to pursue the representation, instead of litigating in court.
Major Nirvikar Singh, IPA’s counsel, said, “In public interest, and pursuant to representation to the MoHUA, the IPA… will not pursue Jaipur Polo Ground and will instead pursue alternate land in NCT for equestrian sports.”
500 acres in lieu of 15-acre takeover
The representation, by IPA vice-president and BJP MP Naveen Jindal, addressed to the Land & Development Office (L&DO), seeks the “allotment of alternate land measuring at least 500 acres in the National Capital Territory of Delhi, in lieu of the Jaipur Polo Ground… for the establishment of a world-class polo and equestrian facility to promote the sports of Polo in India.”
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Flagging that it was understood earlier that the lease continued on a year-to-year basis until IPA was shifted to an alternative site, the representation noted, “More than three decades have elapsed, yet no alternative site has ever been identified or allotted.”
Outlining that the IPA is “committed to finding an amicable and pragmatic resolution in the larger public interest”, Jindal’s representation states that the IPA is “willing to cooperate” and give up the premises, provided an alternative site within NCT of Delhi is provided to them.
“The requirement of at least 500 acres is indispensable. Polo cannot be conducted from a conventional sports ground or a small parcel of land… The IPA proposes to use such alternative land as an integrated National Centre for polo and equestrian sports… if the Jaipur Polo Ground is taken away without providing a suitable alternative site, the consequences for the sport would be immediate and irreversible,” Jindal’s representation stated.
Sohini Ghosh is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express. Previously based in Ahmedabad covering Gujarat, she recently moved to the New Delhi bureau, where she primarily covers legal developments at the Delhi High Court
Professional Profile
Background: An alumna of the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), she previously worked with ET NOW before joining The Indian Express.
Core Beats: Her reporting is currently centered on the Delhi High Court, with a focus on high-profile constitutional disputes, disputes over intellectual property, criminal and civil cases, issues of human rights and regulatory law (especially in the areas of technology and healthcare).
Earlier Specialty: In Gujarat, she was known for her rigorous coverage in the beats of crime, law and policy, and social justice issues, including the 2002 riot cases, 2008 serial bomb blast case, 2016 flogging of Dalits in Una, among others.
She has extensively covered health in the state, including being part of the team that revealed the segregation of wards at the state’s largest government hospital on lines of faith in April 2020.
With Ahmedabad being a UNESCO heritage city, she has widely covered urban development and heritage issues, including the redevelopment of the Sabarmati Ashram
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
Her recent reporting from the Delhi High Court covers major political, constitutional, corporate, and public-interest legal battles:
High-Profile Case Coverage
She has extensively covered the various legal battles - including for compensation under the aegis of North East Delhi Riots Claims Commission - pertaining to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, as well as 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
She has also led coverage at the intersection of technology and governance, and its impact on the citizenry, from, and beyond courtrooms — such as the government’s stakeholder consultations for framing AI-Deepfake policy.
Signature Style
Sohini is recognized for her sustained reporting from courtrooms and beyond. She specialises in breaking down dense legal arguments to make legalese accessible for readers. Her transition from Gujarat to Delhi has seen her expand her coverage on regulatory, corporate and intellectual property law, while maintaining a strong commitment to human rights and lacuna in the criminal justice system.
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