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The Delhi High Court on Thursday (July 9, 2026) asked the Central Government to respond to a petition by the Ambassador Hotel owner against a show-cause notice for eviction from the 7.58-acre premises at Sujan Singh Park In New Delhi.The court issued notice on the petition by SSobha Singh and Sons Private Limited and granted three weeks to the Centre to file its reply.The counsel for the petitioner said he apprehended that an order of eviction could be passed on July 10. The matter has been listed before the estate officer on this date.He urged the court to direct the estate officer to decide the issue of the maintainability of the proceedings under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act before moving ahead in the matter.The court, however, refused to interfere with how the proceedings were being held, saying, “They are the statutory authorities. They will take care of it themselves.”In the petition, Sir Sobha Singh and Sons Pvt. Ltd. challenged a show-cause notice dated June 11 issued by the estate officer, Land and Development Office, under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971, asking why they should not be evicted from the 7.58-acre premises known as Sujan Singh Park (north).The petitioner contended that the estate officer has no jurisdiction to proceed in the matter because they are not an “unauthorised occupant” and the show-cause notice must be quashed.The petitioner holds a registered “government grant” dated October 8, 1945 with respect to the land and the government’s attempt to “re-enter” in 1960 after determination of the perpetual lease was declared “wrong and illegal” by a court in 2009, according to the petition.It further stated that although the Centre’s appeal against the decision was allowed by the appellate court on June 9, the petitioner’s subsequent appeal is pending in the high court.The matter would be heard next on August 17. Published - July 10, 2026 01:13 pm IST
