India, June 2 -- The Union government can reclaim leased land before or after the expiry of lease agreements whenever public interest requires it, Union housing and urban affairs minister Manohar Lal Khattar stressed on Monday, amid questions over the recent Gymkhana Club eviction controversy.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of the BRICS Urbanisation Forum to be held in New Delhi on June 11-12, Khattar said rapid urbanisation and the growing scarcity of developable land have made such re-entry provisions increasingly important.

"The government has the right to take back leased land whenever public interest demands it," Khattar said, while declining to specify the nature of developments that may be proposed on such land in future. ...