Delhi High Court Hears Eviction Challenge for Ambassador Hotel

The Delhi High Court has issued a notice to the Central government and the Land and Development Office following a petition by Sir Sobha Singh and Sons Pvt. Ltd to challenge eviction proceedings. The company, which operates the Ambassador Hotel at Sujan Singh Park (North), is contesting a June 11 show-cause notice regarding its 7.58-acre property. While the company claims uninterrupted possession since 1943 and a 1945 government grant, the government alleges the firm breached that lease by constructing a commercial hotel instead of residential buildings, leading to a lease termination in 1960.

Legal conflict over the property spans decades. A civil court initially ruled in favor of the firm in 2009, but a district court overturned that verdict in June 2026. The petitioner argues that the Estate Officer lacks jurisdiction and that the eviction is impermissible while a separate ownership dispute remains under appeal. Conversely, the government maintains that the eviction of unauthorized occupants is a statutory vested right under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971.

Justice Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar granted the government three weeks to respond to the plea. However, the court declined to grant an immediate stay on the eviction proceedings before the Estate Officer. The matter is scheduled for a further hearing on August 17.