BENGALURU: The Karnataka government on Tuesday asked the elite Bangalore Club to hand over the possession of the 13-acre land on which it is situated. The land, a Revenue Department notice said, belongs to the government. The notice warned the club of action if the land was not handed over within a week.The 147-year-old club is engaged in a tussle with the Revenue Department over the past one month on the issue of ownership of the sprawling 13-acre land in the heart of the city. Earlier this month, the Excise Department refused to renew its liquor licence due to "lack of clarity in its status as a club."On June 12, the club was asked to furnish documents regarding how it acquired the land, when it started functioning, date of registration, membership details, the byelaws and licences held by it.The order passed by Bengaluru North assistant commissioner N Mahesh Babu said "the Bangalore Club shall hand over possession of the property free from all encumbrances to the tahsildar of Bengaluru North taluka within seven days from the receipt of this order." The club has been warned that action will be initiated against it under the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964."The club owns the land. That's all I can say. The matter is in court," the club's newly-elected vice-president Dr Thomas A Chandy told ET.The club managed to dig out a deed dated September 10, 1873, according to which one Soobroy Chetty held the land's possession.Documents show that the Bangalore Club subsequently took possession of the land."But there is nothing on record to show whether the then British administration or State of Mysore has transferred the property by grant or sale to any individual...Thus, it is clear that the property in question was the property of the government during the British regime State of Mysore," the order states."We are yet to be served with the notice," club secretary Colonel (retired) KD Murthy said. "We have already given relevant documents to the authorities as well as to the court. We have filed a writ petition (in the High Court) against the proceedings," he said.