India, Sept. 17 -- New Delhi

The Centre has told the Delhi High Court that its notice directing the iconic Delhi Gymkhana Club (DGC) to vacate the premises at 2, Safdarjung Road, was a valid exercise of its contractual right of re-entry under the perpetual lease deed and did not amount to compulsory acquisition.

In a written statement filed through standing counsel Ashish Dixit on Tuesday, the Centre submitted that the premises, located in a sensitive and strategic area, are required for defence infrastructure, public security, institutional and governance infrastructure.

"The impugned notice is a valid exercise of the contractual right of re entry reserved under clause 4 and is not a compulsory acquisition. The Impugned Notice invokes...