Shivani Gadhavi-
Published On: November 09, 2021 at 15:10 IST
The Delhi High Court on the 8th of November 2021 expressed its disappointment over the New Delhi Municipal Corporation and Delhi Police’s inability to implement the Street Vendors Act, 2014 in the Connaught Place area of New Delhi.
The Bench of Justice Vipin Sangh and Justice Amit Bansal was hearing a Petition by the New Delhi Traders’ Association on behalf of all the shop owners and operators in the CP Area, requesting directions to make certain of the fact that there is no hawking or vending in ‘No hawking’ and ‘No vending’ spots of the mentioned Areas.
The Court in the case of New Delhi Traders Association V New Delhi Municipal Corporation & Ors stated that in accordance with Section 12 of the Street Vendors Act, 2014:
(1) Every street vendor shall have the right to carry on the business of street vending activities in accordance with the terms and conditions mentioned in the Certificate of Vending.
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1) where any area or space, as the case may be, has been earmarked as a no-vending zone, no street vendor shall carry out any vending activities in that zone.
In this regard, the Court conveyed its dismay that the NDMC and Delhi Police have failed to perform their duties in evicting those vendors and hawkers who have occupied spaces illegally for the execution of their Business.
The order noted, “…there has to be a plan. There has to be a survey by a committee. Nothing has happened. The plan has not been prepared. It cannot be that in the meantime the whole city is open. Anybody can walk in and start hawking and vending. The whole city will become a jungle raj.”
The Court stated that according to Section 21 of the SVA, 2014 there should be a proper implementation of the schemes prepared by Local Authorities and the Town Vending Committee and then furthered the Hearing to the 18th of November 2021.
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