New Delhi, February 26 The Central government has revoked its recognition of the Central Secretariat Club in Delhi, which has been in existence for over 100 years, citing prima facie evidence of illegitimate and inappropriate activities on its premises, according to an official order.
The order stated that numerous issues had been reported by club members and others, including the malfunctioning of the executive committee, "including the death of a retired government employee while consuming alcohol", "illegal gambling", and "consuming personal liquor in the club's parking area".
Established in 1919, the club is located on a 2.8-acre government plot on Talkatora Road in New Delhi. It was primarily established for the welfare, recreation, and social cohesion of lower and mid-level officers of the Central government.
Currently, there are several thousand Central government employees working in and around the national capital. Despite this, the club maintains a relatively small active membership, with only a few members regularly attending its activities, the order issued by the Ministry of Personnel stated.
"This highlights a deliberate attempt by the executive committee members to restrict membership and prevent new members from joining the club, thereby monopolizing the elected membership and, as a result, its inability to serve the larger public interest of maximizing staff welfare and providing other recreational/sports/cultural activities/opportunities for government staff and their families," the order said.
This undermines the purpose of recognizing the club and brings disrepute to the functioning of an institution on government property, it added.
"In light of the aforementioned constant violations and the prima facie evidence of significant undesirable and illegitimate/inappropriate activities, the competent authority has decided to revoke the recognition of the Central Secretariat Club with immediate effect," the ministry said in its order.
There are approximately 650 members of the club, comprising serving and retired Central government employees.
Its management is vested in an executive committee elected annually from its members, governed by the club's constitution.
The committee includes 10 retired and 11 serving government employees, including three nominated members from the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).
The matter relating to the recognition and de-recognition of the club falls under the purview of the DoPT.
The DoPT had de-recognized the club in 1971 following complaints of irregularities in its functioning, but it was reinstated in 1972.
The club was again de-recognized in 1983 following further complaints and reports of irregularities, although it continued to operate from the present premises.
Its recognition was restored in December 2005 after a request by the club and a detailed review by the DoPT, the order stated.
In 2022, the DoPT observed numerous irregularities in the club's functioning, including the failure to hold executive committee elections since 2013, despite the club's constitution requiring them to be held annually.
"Before 2024, elections were only held in 1998, 2002, 2006, and 2013. These issues, along with several complaints, led the competent authority to consider de-recognizing the club for non-compliance with the DoPT's guidelines," the order said.
Considering that the club is meant to serve lower and middle-level officers, the DoPT opted to establish an ad-hoc administrative committee (AAC) in March 2023 to oversee the club's operations and take steps for streamlining its functioning.
In July 2024, elections were held, and a new executive committee was formed, which included three DoPT-nominated members. Despite this, complaints arose regarding misconduct, misuse of position, and financial irregularities among the elected office-bearers, the ministry order said.
"On August 12, 2024, the DoPT issued instructions to the executive committee to ensure adherence to the provisions of the club's constitution," the order stated.
"However, these grievances persisted, especially regarding the management of the club, illegitimate activities, and the conduct of the elected office-bearers," it added.
The government-nominated members of the executive committee highlighted serious irregularities in the club's operations in their report dated October 9, 2024.
As the committee's one-year term ended on July 13, 2025, new elections should have been completed before the completion of its term, and upon expiry of the term, it ceases to have any valid and legal control over the affairs of the club with effect from July 14, 2025, the order said.
"Thus, no office-bearer or committee member retained any official legitimacy, authority, or mandate to operate the affairs of the club beyond July 14, 2025," it said.
Numerous issues, including internal fights, dissents, quarrels, and divisions among the committee members, were reported by the club members and others, it added.
"These included unjustified delays in opening club membership, no action by elected members against unauthorized occupants and encroachers of government property, the death of a retired employee while consuming alcohol on the premises, operating unauthorized canteens on club premises, cash-based illegal card gambling, consuming personal liquor in the parking area, and complaints about discriminatory treatment meted out to lower staff," the order said.
The club repeatedly failed to respond to official communications and advisories issued by the DoPT, "demonstrating an utter disregard on the part of the elected committee members to run and operate" it, in accordance with the instructions that would safeguard the government property and maximize staff welfare for which the club was set up, it noted.