Supreme Court Upholds HC Order Allowing Tamil Nadu Govt To Proceed With Eco Park Works Near Madras Race Club

The Supreme Court today declined to interfere with the interim order of the Madras High Court that permitted the Tamil Nadu Government to proceed with works relating to the strengthening and development of a pond and other public projects in the Guindy area, where the Madras Race Club is located.

A bench of Justice PS Narasimha and Justice R Mahadevan, however, clarified that the High Court's observation permitting such works would entitle the State only to create what is required for the proposed eco park, and that this permission would remain subject to the final decision of the case.

“While we are not inclined to interfere with the impugned judgment and order passed by the High Court, we clarify that the portion in paragraph no. 25 which reads, "...permit the State to carry out all works relating to strengthening/development of pond and any other project of public interest and the respondent club shall co-operate and not obstruct such work....." shall entitle the respondent(s)-State only to create what is required for the eco park, and will be subject to final decision”, the Court held.

The Supreme Court disposed of the special leave petition filed by Madras Race Club against the order of the Madras High Court.

The dispute arose from the termination of the lease granted to the Madras Race Club for the Guindy Race Course lands. The State of Tamil Nadu had on September 6, 2024, terminated the Club's lease. The Madras Race Club filed a suit before the High Court seeking a declaration that the Government Order and consequential letters and notices were null and void and also sought a permanent injunction restraining the State from interfering with its possession.

In that suit, an interim order of “status quo” was granted by the single judge. The State then approached the Division Bench challenging the interim order.

The State argued that the order of status quo was impeding the works relating to the strengthening and development of ponds and the proposed eco park, which were being undertaken in the public interest. The State submitted that the order had brought all works to a standstill, particularly with the onset of the monsoon and heavy rains being forecast, which could cause flooding if the works were not completed.

On October 17, 2025, the Madras Race Club stated that it had no objection to works relating to the strengthening or development of ponds being carried out as they were in public interest.

The Division Bench modified the interim order of “status quo” passed by the single judge. Referring to Section 41(ha) of the Specific Relief Act, 1963, which provides that an injunction cannot be granted if it would impede or delay the progress or completion of an infrastructure project, the Division Bench held that strengthening and development of ponds and the eco park were infrastructure projects undertaken in public interest.

The Court permitted the State to carry out all works relating to the strengthening or development of the ponds and any other project of public interest, and directed that the Madras Race Club shall cooperate and not obstruct such work.

The Supreme Court has now clarified that this permission will apply only to works necessary for the eco park project and will remain subject to the final decision in the matter before the High Court.

Appearances:

For the Petitioner(s): Mr. Gopal Subramanium, Sr. Adv., Mr. Guru Krishnakumar, Sr. Adv., Mr. Vaibhav Venkatesh, Adv., Ms. Gauri Subramanium, Adv., Mr. K. Shiva, AOR, Mr. Akash Srinanda, Adv., Mr. Anirudh Sriram, Adv., Mr. Jayavardhan Singh, Adv., Mr. Raghav Kohli, Adv., Mr. Adnan Yousuf, Adv.

For the Respondent(s): Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Sr. Adv., Mr. Mukul Rohatgi, Sr. Adv., Mr. P. Wilson, Sr. Adv., Mr. Sabarish Subramanian, AOR, Mr. K.S. Badhirnathan, Adv., Mr. Apoorv Malhotra, Adv., Mr. Lokesh Krishna, Adv., Mr. Vishnu Unnikrishnan, Adv., Ms. Jahnavi Taneja, Adv., Mr. Danish Saifi, Adv.

Case no. – Special Leave to Appeal (C) No. 31175/2025

Case Title – Madras Race Club v. State of Tamil Nadu & Ors.

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