DoPT Upholds Decision to Withdraw Recognition of Delhi's Central Secretariat Club
The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has upheld its decision to withdraw official recognition from the historic Central Secretariat Club (CSC), located on Park Street near Talkatora Road in Delhi. The decision, announced in an office memorandum issued on a Tuesday, follows a review by a three-member Representation Evaluation Committee after a Delhi High Court order directed the department to hear the club's representation.
The withdrawal of recognition has led to the cancellation of the allotment of the 2.8-acre government-owned plot on which the club operates. The Directorate of Estates, under the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, cancelled the allotment and has been asked by the DoPT to initiate eviction proceedings against the club, which has operated at the site since 1919.
The DoPT initially withdrew the club's recognition on February 24, citing a series of alleged violations and irregularities. These included illegal card gambling, financial misappropriation, withholding information from the department, the removal of CCTV cameras, and the discriminatory treatment of lower-level staff. The department also raised concerns over the alleged death of an employee after drinking on the premises and the facilitation of unauthorised occupants by club office-bearers.
Additionally, the DoPT noted that the club had failed to meaningfully represent central government employees. Although established to promote staff welfare and recreation among lower- and mid-level officials, the club maintained a relatively small active membership despite thousands of eligible employees residing in Delhi.
Following the initial February order, the CSC approached the Delhi High Court. On April 2, the high court directed that the club be given an opportunity to present its case. The club submitted its representation on April 15, 2026, and a three-member evaluation committee was constituted on April 23, 2026. After reviewing the submissions, the committee found the withdrawal of recognition to be "fair and justified."
Club officials have disputed all allegations of wrongdoing and expressed their intention to return to the Delhi High Court for legal remedy, alleging that their representative was not given adequate time to present their case. An anonymous club official stated that the employee who died passed away from natural causes, as confirmed by police and post-mortem reports. The official also denied gambling activities, describing card games as recreational holiday activities, and claimed the government's primary motive was to reclaim the land.
The club's executive committee, which comprises 10 retired and 11 serving government employees, scheduled a meeting to discuss their next legal steps.
