Govt revokes recognition of century-old Central Secretariat Club citing 'illegitimate' activities

New Delhi, Feb 26 (PTI) The Centre has withdrawn its recognition of the more than 100-year-old Central Secretariat Club in Delhi, citing prima facie evidence of illegitimate and untoward activities on its premises, an official order said.

Numerous issues have been reported by the club members and others flagging the malfunctioning of the executive committee, including “death of a retired government employee while consuming alcohol", "illegal gambling”, and “consuming personal liquor in the club's parking area", it said.

Established in 1919, the club is spread on a 2.8-acre government land 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 posted in and around the national capital. Despite this, the club maintains a relatively small active membership with only a few members attending its activities regularly, the order issued by the personnel ministry said.

“This highlights a deliberate attempt by the executive committee members to keep the membership restricted, and prevent new members from joining the club, thereby monopolising the elected membership and resultantly its inability to serve the larger public interest of maximising staff welfare and providing other recreational/sports/cultural activities/opportunities for the government staff and their families,” the order said.

This defeats the very purpose of recognising the club and brings disrepute to the functioning of an institution on government property, it said.

"In light of the aforementioned constant violations and the prima facie evidence of significant undesirable and illegitimate/untoward 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 recognition and de-recognition of the club vests with the DoPT.

The DoPT had de-recognised the club in 1971 following complaints of irregularities in its functioning, but it was reinstated in 1972.

The club was again de-recognised in 1983 following further complaints and reports of irregularities, though 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 said.

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, the elections were conducted only in 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2013. These issues, along with several complaints, led the competent authority to consider de-recognising the club for non-compliance with the DoPT's guidelines," the order said.

Considering that the club is meant to serve the 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, the elections were held, and a new executive committee was formed, which included three DoPT-nominated members. Despite this, the complaints arose regarding misconduct, misuse of position, and financial irregularities among the elected office-bearers, the ministry order said.

"On 12.08.2024, the DoPT issued instructions to the executive committee to ensure adherence to the provisions of the club’s constitution.

“However, the grievances persisted, especially regarding the management of the club, illegitimate activities and the conduct of the elected office-bearers," it said.

The government-nominated members of the executive committee, on several occasions, 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 14.07.2025," it said.

Numerous issues, including internal fights, dissents, quarrels and divisions among the committee members were reported by the club members and others, it said.

“Theses included unjustified delay in opening club membership, no action by elected members against unauthorised occupants and encroachers of government property, death of a retired employee while consuming alcohol on the premises, operating unauthorised canteen on club premises, cash-based illegal card gambling, consuming personal liquor in the parking area, and complaints about discriminating treatment meted out to lower staff, etc.,” 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 maximise staff welfare for which the club was set up, it noted. PTI AKV ARI ARI