No out of turn permanent memberships by Gymkhana Club: HC

The Delhi High Court today upheld a trial court order restraining the Delhi Gymkhana Club, located near the prime minister's residence, from granting out-of-turn permanent memberships to the children of existing members.
Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva said there was "no infirmity" in the trial court's November 30, 2016 interim order that granting membership to the green card holders (GCH), children of members, violated the club's Articles of Association (AOA).
The high court's verdict came on the club's appeal against the interim order of the trial court on the suit filed by some members who had alleged that out-of-turn memberships were being granted to GCHs.

The high court, while disposing of the club's plea, asked the lower court to expedite the trial of the suit and try to dispose it of within nine months from today.
The high court, however, said that till the suit is disposed of, the club shall not consider the applications of general applicants in the non-governmental (NG) category for grant of permanent membership in excess of 25 per cent of the total permanent membership.
It also said the permanent membership already granted to any GCH after filing of the suit would be subject to the decision taken by the lower court.

According to the AOA, 50 per cent of the total membership of 5,600 has to be issued to government employees while the remaining has to be given to persons who are not in government service, referred to as the 'non-governmental (NG) category'.

Some members of the club had moved a suit in the trial court alleging that children of existing members were being given priority for according permanent membership over the pending applications in the NG category.
It was submitted before the high court that a member's dependent child, who has availed the facilities of the club between the ages of 13 and 21, is granted the status of GCH if that child applies for membership on attaining the age of 21.

The members, who had filed the suit, claimed in the high court that the club was "granting permanent membership in the NG category to the GCHs out of turn by considering their applications on a priority basis and not on the basis of the date of application in the NG category on par with the general applicants in the NG category".
The club on the other hand had contended that the NG category comprises of 50 per cent of the permanent membership and half of this has been reserved for the GCHs who are considered for this 25 per cent membership on the basis of the date of their application.

The club had denied the allegation that general applicants in the NG category had been illegally superseded for membership by the GCHs.