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The government’s recent takeover of the historic nearly century-old Jaipur Polo Ground in New Delhi passed off with remarkable ease, bringing down the curtain on an era, despite polo’s deep association with the military establishment. The lack of visible resistance was striking, especially since the incumbent Indian Army Chief traditionally serves as president of the Indian Polo Association (IPA), the apex body that has overseen and promoted the sport in India since 1892.

The IPA’s long association with India’s cavalry tradition has made it one of polo’s principal custodians, particularly after the decline of princely patronage. Yet, even this enduring institutional connection, headed by Army Chief of Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, proved insufficient to prevent one of Delhi’s most recognisable sporting landmarks from quietly passing into government hands, nearly eight decades after independence.

Spread across 15.2 acres, the Jaipur Polo Ground may only be the opening move in a larger realignment of some of Lutyens Delhi’s most valuable land. Efforts are also underway to reclaim the adjoining 53.4-acre Delhi Race Club and the 27-acre Delhi Gymkhana Club across the road – a move that would bring nearly 100 acres of prime central real estate under government control.

Officially, the rationale for these moves has been framed in broad terms, including public purpose, governance requirements, defence infrastructure and critical security needs. Beyond these stated objectives, little detail has been disclosed. The lack of a more specific explanation has inevitably fuelled conjecture in the capital.

Former President of India Pratibha Patil with Army Skydivers who participated in the Sky Diving Show at Jaipur Polo Ground in New Delhi on March 2, 2008. Photo: President’s Secretariat, GODL-India, via Wikimedia Commons

One of the more persistent conjectures is that the ‘reclaimed’ land could eventually be used to accommodate the expanded parliamentary infrastructure necessary after the long-delayed delimitation exercise, which has gained renewed momentum in recent days in anticipation of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.

Recent defections by Members of Parliament from Opposition parties like the Aam Aadmi Party and the Trinamool Congress have further fuelled speculation in political circles that the government may eventually secure the parliamentary numbers needed to advance its legislative agenda linked to delimitation. If parliamentary membership expands significantly after 2029, the challenge of accommodating a larger number of lawmakers would become pressing. Hence, making use of at least part of the land appropriated around the Polo Ground for this purpose remains a plausible proposition.

But none of this has been officially acknowledged. Therefore, with little detail forthcoming on the government’s intentions, speculation continues to flourish, allowing Delhi’s rumour mills to fill a vacuum created as much........

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