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Thursday, September 12, 2013

A street vendor / hawker is a person who offers goods for sale to the public at large without having a permanent structure / place for his activities. Some street vendors / hawkers are stationary in the sense that they occupy space on the pavements or other public / private places while others are mobile in the sense that they move from place to place carrying their wares on push carts or in baskets on their heads.= For facilitating implementation of the 2009 Policy, we issue the following directions: i) Within one month from the date of receipt of copy of this order, the Chief Secretaries of the State Governments and Administrators of the Union Territories shall issue necessary instructions/directions to the concerned department(s) to ensure that the Town Vending Committee is constituted at city / town level in accordance with the provisions contained in the 2009 Policy. For the cities and towns having large municipal areas, more than one Town Vending Committee may be constituted. (ii) Each Town Vending Committee shall consist of representatives of various organizations and street vendors / hawkers. 30% of the representatives from the category of street vendors / hawkers shall be women. iii) The representatives of various organizations and street vendors / hawkers shall be chosen by the Town Vending Committee by adopting a fair and transparent mechanism. iv) The task of constituting the Town Vending Committees shall be completed within two months of the issue of instructions by the Chief Secretaries of the State and the Administrators of the Union Territories. v) The Town Vending Committees shall function strictly in accordance with the 2009 Policy and the decisions taken by it shall be notified in the print and electronic media within next one week. vi) The Town Vending Committees shall be free to divide the municipal areas in vending / hawking zones and sub-zones and for this purpose they may take assistance of experts in the field. While undertaking this exercise, the Town Vending Committees constituted for the cities of Delhi and Mumbai shall take into consideration the work already undertaken by the municipal authorities in furtherance of the directions given by this Court. The municipal authorities shall also take action in terms of Paragraph 4.2(b) and (c). vii) All street vendors / hawkers shall be registered in accordance with paragraph 4.5.4 of the 2009 Policy. Once registered, the street vendor / hawker, shall be entitled to operate in the area specified by the Town Vending Committee. viii) The process of registration must be completed by the municipal authorities across the country within four months of the receipt of the direction by the Chief Secretaries of the States and Administrators of the Union Territories. ix) The State Governments / Administration of the Union Territories and municipal and local authorities shall take all the steps necessary for achieving the objectives set out in the 2009 Policy. x) The Town Vending Committee shall meet every month and ensure implementation of the relevant provisions of the 2009 Policy and, in particular, paragraph 4.5.1 (b) and (c). xi) Physically challenged who were allowed to operate PCO’s in terms of the judgment reported in (2009) 17 SCC 231 shall be allowed to continue to run their stalls and sell other goods because running of PCOs. is no longer viable. Those who were allowed to run Aarey/Sarita shall be allowed to continue to operate their stalls. xii) The State Governments, the Administration of the Union Territories and municipal authorities shall be free to amend the legislative provisions and/or delegated legislation to bring them in tune with the 2009 Policy. If there remains any conflict between the 2009 Policy and the municipal laws, insofar as they relate to street vendors/hawkers, then the 2009 Policy shall prevail. xiii) Henceforth, the parties shall be free to approach the jurisdictional High Courts for redressal of their grievance and the direction, if any, given by this Court in the earlier judgments / orders shall not impede disposal of the cases which may be filed by the aggrieved parties. xiv) The Chief Justices of the High Courts are requested to nominate a Bench to deal with the cases filed for implementation of the 2009 Policy and disputes arising out of its implementation. The concerned Bench shall regularly monitor implementation of the 2009 Policy and the law which may be enacted by the Parliament. xv) All the existing street vendors / hawkers operating across the country shall be allowed to operate till the exercise of registration and creation of vending / hawking zones is completed in terms of the 2009 Policy. Once that exercise is completed, they shall be entitled to operate only in accordance with the orders/directions of the concerned Town Vending Committee. xvi) The provisions of the 2009 Policy and the directions contained hereinabove shall apply to all the municipal areas in the country. 17. The aforesaid directions shall remain operative till an appropriate legislation is enacted by Parliament or any other competent legislature and is brought into force. 18. The parties, whose applications have remained pending before this Court, shall be free to institute appropriate proceedings in the jurisdictional High Court. If so advised, the aggrieved person shall be free to file petition under Article 226 of the Constitution. 19. All the appeals and I.As are disposed of in the manner indicated above. 20. The Registry is directed to send copies of this order to the Chief Secretaries of all the States, Administrators of the Union Territories and Registrar Generals / Registrars (Judicial) of all the High Courts, who shall place the order before the Chief Justice for consideration and necessary directions.

published in http://judis.nic.in/supremecourt/imgst.aspx?filename=40757
                                                                      1
                           REPORTABLE

                        IN THE SUPRME COURT OF INDIA

                        CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

                     Civil Appeal Nos.4156-4157 of 2002
                                    WITH
                     Civil Appeal Nos. 4161-4162 of 2002
                                     AND
                     Civil Appeal Nos. 4175-4176 of 2002
                                     AND
        I.A.Nos.266-285, 288-289, 294-299, 304-309, 312-321 & 324-335
                                     IN
                     Civil Appeal Nos.4156-4157 of 2002
                                     AND
             I.A.Nos.7-8 in Civil Appeal Nos. 4161-4162 of 2002
                                     AND
            I.A.Nos.16-17 in Civil Appeal Nos. 4175-4176 of 2002


Maharashtra Ekta Hawkers Union and another               ... Appellants

                                   Versus

Municipal Corporation, Greater Mumbai and others         ... Respondents

                                  O R D E R


G.S. SINGHVI, J.



1.    A street vendor / hawker is a person who offers goods for sale to  the
public at large without  having  a  permanent  structure  /  place  for  his
activities. Some street vendors / hawkers are stationary in the  sense  that
they occupy space on the pavements or other public /  private  places  while
others are mobile in the sense that they move from place to  place  carrying
their wares on push carts or in baskets on their heads.





2.    In last four decades, there has been manifold increase in  the  number
of street vendors / hawkers in all major cities in the country.  One of  the
many  factors  responsible  for  this  phenomena  is  unabated   growth   of
population without corresponding increase in employment opportunities.   The
other factor is the migration of rural population to  the  urban  areas.   A
large section of the  rural  population  has  been  forced  to  leave  their
habitat because of massive acquisition of land and substantial reduction  in
the number of cottage industries, which  offered  source  of  livelihood  to
many people in the rural areas and even those living in the  peripheries  of
the urban areas.  In recent past, many lakh youngsters have moved  from  the
rural areas to the cities with the  hope  of  getting  permanent  source  of
livelihood but a substantial number of them have  become  street  vendors  /
hawkers because their expectations have been belied.  One reason  which  has
contributed to this scenario is that unlike  other  sections  of  the  urban
population, they neither have the capacity and strength to demand  that  the
Government should create jobs for  them  nor  do  they  engage  in  begging,
stealing or extortion.  They try to live with dignity  and  self-respect  by
doing the work as street vendors / hawkers.

3.    The importance of street vendors and hawkers can be measured from  the
fact that millions of urban poor across  the  country  procure  their  basic
necessities mainly from street vendors / hawkers because  the  goods,  viz.,
cloths, hosiery items, plastic wares, household  items,  food  items,  etc.,
sold on pavements or through push carts, etc., are cheap.  The lower  income
groups also spend a large proportion of their  income  in  purchasing  goods
from street vendors / hawkers.

4.     Unfortunately,  the  street  vendors  /  hawkers  have  received  raw
treatment from the State apparatus before and even after  the  independence.
They are a harassed lot and are constantly victimized by  the  officials  of
the local authorities, the police,  etc.,  who  regularly  target  them  for
extra  income  and  treat  them  with  extreme  contempt.   The  goods   and
belongings of the street vendors / hawkers are  thrown  to  the  ground  and
destroyed at regular intervals if they are not able to meet the  demands  of
the officials.   Perhaps  these  minions  in  the  administration  have  not
understood meaning of the term “dignity” enshrined in the  preamble  of  the
Constitution.

5.    The constant threat faced by the street vendors /  hawkers  of  losing
their source of livelihood has forced  them  to  seek  intervention  of  the
Courts across the country from time to time.  In last 28 years,  this  Court
has struggled to find a workable solution of the problems of street  vendors
/ hawkers on the one hand and other sections of society including  residents
of the localities / places  where  street  vendors  /  hawkers  operate  and
delivered several judgments  including  Bombay  Hawkers’  Union  vs.  Bombay
Municipal Corporation (1985) 3 SCC 528, Sodan Singh vs. New Delhi  Municipal
Committee (1989) 4 SCC 155, Maharashtra Ekta  Hawkers  Union  vs.  Municipal
Corporation, Greater Mumbai (2004)  1  SCC  625,  Maharashtra  Ekta  Hawkers
Union  vs.  Municipal  Corporation,  Greater  Mumbai  (2009)  17  SCC   151,
Maharashtra Ekta Hawkers Union vs.  Municipal  Corporation,  Greater  Mumbai
(2009) 17 SCC 231 (this order was passed on 30.07.2004 but  was  printed  in
the journal only in 2009) and Gainda Ram vs. Municipal Corporation of  Delhi
(2010) 10 SCC 715, but the situation has not changed in last  four  decades.
Rather, the problem has aggravated because of lackadaisical attitude of  the
administration at various levels and the legislative instruments  made  many
decades ago have become totally ineffective.

6.    In Sodan Singh vs. New Delhi Municipal Committee (supra),  L.M.Sharma,
J., who authored the main judgment,  referred  to  a  number  of  precedents
including Saghir Ahmad vs. State of U.P. AIR 1954 SC 728 and observed.
      “17. So far as right of a hawker to transact business while going from
      place to place is concerned, it has been admittedly recognised  for  a
      long period. Of course, that also is subject to proper  regulation  in
      the interest of general convenience of the public including health and
      security considerations. What about the right to squat on the roadside
      for engaging in trading business? As  was  stated  by  this  Court  in
      Bombay Hawkers’ Union v. Bombay Municipal Corporation (1985) 3 SCC 528
      the public streets by their nomenclature and definition are meant  for
      the use of the general public: they are not  laid  to  facilitate  the
      carrying on of private business. If hawkers were to  be  conceded  the
      right claimed by them, they  could  hold  the  society  to  ransom  by
      squatting on the busy  thoroughfares,  thereby  paralysing  all  civic
      life. This is one side of the picture. On the other hand, if  properly
      regulated according to the exigency of the  circumstances,  the  small
      traders on the sidewalks can  considerably  add  to  the  comfort  and
      convenience of general public, by making available  ordinary  articles
      of everyday use for a comparatively lesser price. An ordinary  person,
      not very affluent, while hurrying towards his home  after  day’s  work
      can pick up these articles without going out of  his  way  to  find  a
      regular market. If the  circumstances  are  appropriate  and  a  small
      trader can do some business for personal gain on the pavement  to  the
      advantage  of  the  general  public  and  without  any  discomfort  or
      annoyance to the others, we do not see any objection to  his  carrying
      on the business.  Appreciating  this  analogy  the  municipalities  of
      different cities and towns in the  country  have  been  allowing  such
      traders. The right to carry on trade or business mentioned in  Article
      19(1)(g)  of  the  Constitution,  on  street  pavements,  if  properly
      regulated cannot be denied on the ground that the  streets  are  meant
      exclusively for passing or re-passing and for  no  other  use.  Proper
      regulation is, however, a necessary condition as  otherwise  the  very
      object of laying out roads — to facilitate traffic — may be  defeated.
      Allowing the right to trade without appropriate control is  likely  to
      lead  to  unhealthy  competition  and  quarrel  between  traders   and
      travelling  public  and  sometimes  amongst  the  traders   themselves
      resulting in chaos. The right is subject  to  reasonable  restrictions
      under clause (6) or Article 19. If the matter is examined in its light
      it will appear that the principle stated in Saghir Ahmad case (1955) 1
      SCR 707:AIR 1954 SC 728 in connection with transport business  applies
      to the hawkers’ case also. The proposition that all public streets and
      roads in India vest in the State but that  the  State  holds  them  as
      trustee on behalf of the public, and the members  of  the  public  are
      entitled as beneficiaries to use them as a matter of right,  and  that
      this right is limited only by the similar rights  possessed  by  every
      other citizen to use the pathways,  and  further  that  the  State  as
      trustee is  entitled  to  impose  all  necessary  limitations  on  the
      character and extent of the user, should be treated  as  of  universal
      application.”

                                                         (Emphasis supplied)



      In his  concurring  opinion,  Kuldip  Singh,  J.  made  the  following
observations:

      “33. In India there are large number of people who are engaged in  the
      business of “street  trading”.  There  is  hardly  a  household  where
      hawkers do not reach. The housewives wait for a vegetable vendor or  a
      fruit  seller  who  conveniently  delivers  the  daily  needs  at  the
      doorstep. The petitioners before us are street traders  of  Delhi  and
      New Delhi areas. Some of them have licences/Tehbazari  from  Municipal
      Corporation of Delhi/New Delhi Municipal Committee but  most  of  them
      are squatters. There is practically no law regulating  street  trading
      in Delhi/New Delhi. The skeletal provisions  in  the  Delhi  Municipal
      Corporation Act, 1957 and the Punjab Municipal Act,  1911  can  hardly
      provide any  regulatory  measures  to  the  enormous  and  complicated
      problem of street trading in these areas.


      35. Street trading being a fundamental right has to be made  available
      to the citizens subject to Article 19(6) of the  Constitution.  It  is
      within the domain of the State to make any  law  imposing  reasonable,
      restrictions in the interest of general public. This can be done by an
      enactment on the same  lines  as  in  England  or  by  any  other  law
      permissible under Article 19(6)  of  the  Constitution.  In  spite  of
      repeated suggestions by this Court  nothing  has  been  done  in  this
      respect. Since a citizen has no right to choose a particular place  in
      any street for trading, it is for the State to designate  the  streets
      and earmark the places from where street trading can be done. Inaction
      on the part of the State would  result  in  negating  the  fundamental
      right of the citizens. It is expected  that  the  State  will  do  the
      needful in this respect within a  reasonable  time  failing  which  it
      would be left to the courts to protect the rights of the citizens.”




7.    In Maharashtra Ekta Hawkers Union vs. Municipal  Corporation,  Greater
Mumbai (supra), which was decided on 9.12.2003, a two Judge  Bench  referred
to the judgments in Olga Tellis vs. Bombay Municipal  Corporation  (1985)  3
SCC 545,  Sodan  Singh  vs.  New  Delhi  Municipal  Committee  (supra),  the
recommendations made by the Committee constituted  pursuant  to  an  earlier
judgment and observed:

      “10. The above authorities make it clear that the hawkers have a right
      under Article 19(1)(g) of  the  Constitution  of  India.  This  right,
      however, is subject to reasonable restrictions  under  Article  19(6).
      Thus hawking may not be permitted where, e.g.  due  to  narrowness  of
      road, free flow of traffic or movement of pedestrians is  hindered  or
      where for security reasons an area is required to be kept free or near
      hospitals, places of worship etc. There is no fundamental right  under
      Article 21 to carry on any hawking business. There is also no right to
      do hawking at any particular place. The authorities also recognize the
      fact that if properly regulated, the small  traders  can  considerably
      add to the convenience and comfort of the general  public,  by  making
      available ordinary articles of everyday use for a comparatively lesser
      price. The scheme must keep in mind the above principles.  So  far  as
      Mumbai is concerned, the scheme must comply with the  conditions  laid
      down in Bombay Hawkers’ Union case (1985) 3 SCC 528. Those  conditions
      have  become  final  and  there  is  no  changed  circumstance   which
      necessitates any alteration.”



The Court then enumerated the following restrictions and conditions  subject
to which the hawkers could do business in Mumbai:

      “(1) An area of 1 m × 1 m on one side of the  footpath  wherever  they
      exist or on an extreme side of the carriageway, in such a manner  that
      the vehicular and pedestrian traffic is not obstructed and  access  to
      shops and residences is not blocked.  We  further  clarify  that  even
      where hawking is permitted, it can only be on one side of the footpath
      or road and under no circumstances on both sides of the  footpaths  or
      roads. We, however, clarify that  aarey/sarita  stalls  and  sugarcane
      vendors would require and may be permitted an area of more than 1 m  ×
      1 m but not more than 2 m × 1 m.

      (2) Hawkers must not put up stalls or place any tables, stand or  such
      other thing or erect any type of structure. They should also  not  use
      handcarts. However, they may protect their goods from the sun, rain or
      wind. Obviously,  this  condition  would  not  apply  to  aarey/sarita
      stalls.

      (3) There should be no hawking within 100 metres  from  any  place  of
      worship, holy shrine, educational institutions and hospitals or within
      150 metres from any municipal or other markets  or  from  any  railway
      station. There should be no hawking on  footbridges  and  overbridges.
      Further, certain areas may be required to be kept free of hawkers  for
      security reasons. However, outside places of worship  hawkers  can  be
      permitted to sell items required by the devotees for offering  to  the
      deity or for placing in the place of worship e.g. flowers, sandalwood,
      candles, agarbattis, coconuts etc.

      (4) The hawkers must not create any noise or play  any  instrument  or
      music for attracting the public or the customers.

      (5) They can only sell cooked foods, cut fruits, juices and the  like.
      We are  unable  to  accept  the  submission  that  cooking  should  be
      permitted. We direct that no cooking of any nature whatsoever shall be
      permitted. Even where cooked food or cut fruits or the like are  sold,
      the  food  must  not  be  adulterated  or  unhygienic.  All  Municipal
      Licensing Regulations and the provisions of  the  Prevention  of  Food
      Adulteration Act must be complied with.

      (6) Hawking must be only between 7.00 a.m. and 10.00 p.m.

      (7) Hawking will be on the basis of payment of a prescribed fee to  be
      fixed by BMC. However, the payment of  prescribed  fee  shall  not  be
      deemed  to  authorize  the  hawker  to  do  his  business  beyond  the
      prescribed hours and would not confer on the hawker the  right  to  do
      business at any particular place.

      (8)  The  hawkers  must  extend  full  cooperation  to  the  municipal
      conservancy staff for cleaning the streets and footpaths and  also  to
      the other municipal staff for carrying on  any  municipal  work.  They
      must also cooperate with the other government and public agencies such
      as BEST Undertaking, Bombay Telephones, BSES Ltd. etc. if they require
      to lay any cable or any development work.

      (9) No hawking would be permitted on any street which is less  than  8
      metres in width. Further, the hawkers also have  to  comply  with  the
      Development Control Rules, thus, there can  be  no  hawking  in  areas
      which are exclusively residential and  where  trading  and  commercial
      activity is prohibited. Thus hawking cannot be permitted on roads  and
      pavements which do not have a shopping line.

      (10) BMC shall grant licences which will have photos of the hawkers on
      them. The licence must be displayed, at all times, by the  hawkers  on
      their person by clipping it on to their shirt or coat.

      (11) Not more than one member of a family must be given a  licence  to
      hawk. For this purpose BMC will have to computerize its records.

      (12) Vending of costly items e.g.  electrical  appliances,  video  and
      audio tapes and cassettes, cameras, phones etc. is to  be  prohibited.
      In the event of any hawker found to be selling such items his  licence
      must be cancelled forthwith.

      (13) In areas other than  the  non-hawking  zones,  licences  must  be
      granted to the  hawkers  to  do  their  business  on  payment  of  the
      prescribed fee. The licences must be for a period of 1 year. That will
      be without prejudice to the right  of  the  Committee  to  extend  the
      limits of the non-hawking zones in the  interests  of  public  health,
      sanitation, safety, public convenience and the like. Hawking  licences
      should not be refused in the hawking zones except  for  good  reasons.
      The discretion not to grant a hawking  licence  in  the  hawking  zone
      should be exercised reasonably and in public interest.

      (14) In future, before  making  any  alteration  in  the  scheme,  the
      Commissioner should place the matter before the  Committee  who  shall
      take a decision after considering views of all concerned including the
      hawkers, the Commissioner of Police and members of the  public  or  an
      association representing the public.

       (15) It is expected that citizens and shopkeepers  shall  participate
      in keeping non-hawking zones/areas free from hawkers. They shall do so
      by bringing to the notice of the ward officer concerned  the  presence
      of a hawker in a non-hawking zone/area.  The  ward  officer  concerned
      shall take immediate steps to remove such a hawker. In case  the  ward
      officer takes no action, a written  complaint  may  be  filed  by  the
      citizen/shopkeeper to the Committee. The Committee shall look into the
      complaint and if found correct, the Committee will with  the  help  of
      police remove the hawker. The officer in charge of the police  station
      concerned is directed to give prompt and immediate assistance  to  the
      Committee. In the event of the Committee finding the complaint  to  be
      correct it shall so record. On the Committee so recording  an  adverse
      remark re  failure  to  perform  his  duty  will  be  entered  in  the
      confidential record of the ward officer concerned. If more than  three
      such entries are found in the record of  an  officer  it  would  be  a
      ground for withholding promotion. If more than six  such  entries  are
      found in  the  records  of  an  officer  it  shall  be  a  ground  for
      termination of service. For the work of attending to  such  complaints
      BMC shall pay to the Chairman a fixed honorarium of Rs 10,000 p.m.

      (16) The scheme framed by  us  will  have  a  binding  effect  on  all
      concerned. Thus, apart from those to whom licences will now be issued,
      no other person/body will have any right to  squat  or  carry  on  any
      hawking or other business on the roads/streets.  We  direct  that  BMC
      shall bring this judgment to the notice of all courts in which matters
      are now pending. We are quite sure that the court(s)  concerned  shall
      then suitably vacate/modify its injunction/stay order.”



8.    By an order dated 30.07.2004, which is reported in (2009) 17  SCC  231
(Maharashtra Ekta Hawkers Union vs. Municipal Corporation, Greater  Mumbai),
the Court modified order dated 09.12.2003 and permitted handicapped  persons
who were granted licence for running PCOs/Aarey/Sarita  stalls  to  continue
to run those stalls even  in  non-hawking  zones  with  the  rider  that  no
further or new licences be granted to any other person.

9.    The matter did not stop there.  The issue was again  examined  in  the
judgment reported in (2009) 17 SCC 151 (Maharashtra Ekta Hawkers  Union  vs.
Municipal Corporation, Greater Mumbai). In that  case,  a  two  Judge  Bench
took cognizance of  National  Policy  on  Urban  Street  Vendors,  2004  and
observed:
      “41. After noticing the contents of the statements in the counter,  we
      are happy to note that the State Government is  initiating  a  process
      for implementation of National  Policy  on  Urban  Street  Vendors  by
      framing regulations as envisaged  in  Section  10.1  of  the  National
      Policy. We hope and trust that the State Government  will  pursue  the
      matter with right earnest and bring it to  logical  conclusion  within
      the time stipulated.


      42. We clarify that the regulations so framed by the State would be in
      consonance with the aims and objects of the National Policy to  render
      some sort of succour to the urban street vendors to eke out  a  living
      through hawking.


      43. We also clarify that the State Government shall frame  regulations
      in order to solve the problem of hawkers independently  without  being
      influenced by any scheme framed by us or any direction issued by  this
      Court in the interregnum. We further  clarify  that  the  schemes  and
      directions issued by this Court are purely  temporary  in  nature  and
      subject to regulations framed by the  State  Government  in  terms  of
      Section 10.1 of the National Policy on Urban Street Vendors. In  other
      words, the schemes and directions issued by this Court shall be  valid
      only till the regulations are framed and implemented.”



The two Judge Bench also restrained all other Courts from  interpreting  its
order or passing any order touching upon the subject matter  dealt  with  by
this Court. Simultaneously, hearing of the  writ  petitions  pending  before
all  the  High  Courts  was  stayed  and  it  was  ordained  that   if   any
clarification / modification is required then  the  same  must  be  obtained
from this Court.

10.   In Gainda Ram vs. Municipal Corporation of Delhi (2010)  10  SCC  715,
the  problem  was  considered  in  the  context  of  Delhi.   After   taking
cognizance  of  the  fact  that  various  committees  were  set  up  by  the
administration to solve the problem of street vendors / hawkers,  the  Bench
referred to the National Policy on Urban Street Vendors,  2009  (for  short,
‘the 2009 Policy’), the  Master  Plan  of  Delhi,  2012,  the  Model  Street
Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of  Street  Vending)  Bill,
2009 prepared by the Government of India,  Ministry  of  Housing  and  Urban
Poverty Alleviation and observed:
      “67. In the background of the provisions in  the  Bill  and  the  2009
      Policy,  it  is  clear  that  an  attempt  is  made  to  regulate  the
      fundamental right of street hawking and street vending by  law,  since
      it has been declared by this Court that  the  right  to  hawk  on  the
      streets or right to carry on street vending  is  part  of  fundamental
      right under Article 19(1)(g).  However,  till  the  law  is  made  the
      attempt made by NDMC and MCD to regulate this right by framing schemes
      which  are  not  statutory  in  nature  is  not  exactly  within   the
      contemplation of constitutional provisions discussed  above.  However,
      such schemes have been regulated from time to time by this  Court  for
      several years as pointed out above. Even, orders passed by this Court,
      in trying to regulate such hawking and  street  vending,  is  not  law
      either. At the same time, there is no denying the  fact  that  hawking
      and street  vending  should  be  regulated  by  law.  Such  a  law  is
      imminently necessary in public interest.”




The Court also referred  to  the  mechanism  established  by  the  Municipal
Corporation  of  Delhi  for  redressing  the   grievance   of   the   street
vendors/hawkers and issued the following directions:

      “77. In view of such schemes, the hawkers, squatters and vendors  must
      abide by the dispute redressal mechanism mentioned above. There should
      not be any direct approach to this Court by way of fresh petitions  or
      IAs,  bypassing  the  dispute  redressal  mechanism  provided  in  the
      schemes.


      78. However, before 30-6-2011, the appropriate Government is to  enact
      a law on the basis of the Bill mentioned above or on the basis of  any
      amendment thereof so that the hawkers may precisely know the  contours
      of their rights. This Court is giving this direction  in  exercise  of
      its jurisdiction to protect the fundamental rights of the citizens.


      79. The hawkers’ and squatters’ or vendors’ right to carry on  hawking
      has been recognised as a fundamental right under Article 19(1)(g).  At
      the same time the right of the commuters to move freely  and  use  the
      roads without any impediment is also a fundamental right under Article
      19(1)(d). These two apparently conflicting rights must  be  harmonised
      and regulated by subjecting them to reasonable restrictions only under
      a law. The question is, therefore, vitally important to a  very  large
      section of people, mostly ordinary men and women. Such an issue cannot
      be left to be decided by schemes and which are monitored by this Court
      from time to time.”



11.   When these appeals and applications were taken up  for  hearing,  Shri
Prashant Bhushan, learned counsel representing some of the street vendors  /
hawkers produced Twenty Third Report of  the  Standing  Committee  on  Urban
Development (2012-2013) prepared  in  the  context  of  the  Street  Vendors
(Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Bill,  2012  and
submitted  that  till  Parliament   enacts   appropriate   legislation   for
protecting the rights of the urban street vendors / hawkers, the  Court  may
ordain implementation of the 2009 Policy with  liberty  to  the  parties  to
approach appropriate judicial forums for redressal of their grievance.  They
and  learned  counsel  representing  the  municipal  bodies  /  authorities,
residents and others lamented that due to the restrictions imposed  by  this
Court, no other Court is entertaining  the  grievance  made  by  the  street
vendors / hawkers on the one hand and the residents of various colonies  and
other people on the other  hand  and  this  is  the  reason  why  dozens  of
interlocutory applications are being filed in this Court every year  in  the
decided matters. They suggested that the embargo placed  by  this  Court  on
the entertaining of writ petitions, etc.,  by  the  High  Courts  should  be
lifted and a direction be given  that  till  the  enactment  of  appropriate
legislation by Parliament or  any  other  competent  legislature,  the  2009
Policy should be implemented throughout  the  country.   Shri  Shyam  Divan,
learned senior counsel, extensively referred to some of the  precedents  and
submitted that the Bombay High Court  should  be  directed  to  specifically
deal with the issue related to  establishment  of  hawking  and  non-hawking
zones so that the residents  may  not  be  adversely  affected  due  to  un-
regulated street vending and hawking activities in different  parts  of  the
city of Mumbai.

12.   Shri Pallav  Shishodia,  learned  senior  counsel  appearing  for  the
Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai argued that  the  street  vendors  /
hawkers cannot be allowed to occupy public spaces at each  and  every  place
and the scheme framed by the Corporation in  compliance  of  the  directions
given by this Court does not require any modification. Shri Vijay  Hansaria,
Shri Anand Grover, learned Senior Advocates and Shri Sushil Kumar  Jain  and
other  learned  counsel  emphasized  that  this  Court  should  direct   the
municipal authorities to accommodate all the street vendors  /  hawkers  and
stop  their  harassment,  exploitation  and  victimization  by   the   State
agencies. Shri Prashant  Bhushan  emphasized  that  despite  the  directions
given by this Court from time to time, including the  interim  order  passed
in relation to  the  street  vendors  /  hawkers  in  Delhi,  the  concerned
authorities are not allowing them to conduct their  activities.  He  further
argued that the street vendors / hawkers should be  allowed  to  operate  in
accordance with the provisions of 2009 Policy and the concerned  authorities
should ensure that everybody is given licence for carrying  out  his  /  her
activity.  Learned  counsel  for  the  parties  also  suggested   that   the
decision(s) of the Town Vending Committees should be  published  on  regular
intervals in print and electronic  media  and  the  internet  and  the  High
Courts should be asked to monitor implementation of  various  provisions  of
the 2009 Policy.

13.   At the conclusion of hearing, the Court had given time to the  parties
to file written  submissions  /  suggestions.  On  7th  August,  2013,  Shri
Prashant Bhushan, learned counsel for the applicants in IA Nos.  322-323  of
2013 and 324-325 of 2013 filed written suggestions. On 8th August,  2013,  a
written note was filed on behalf of Citizen Forum for Protection  of  Public
Spaces (CitiSpace), which was allowed to act as intervenor  in  the  special
leave petitions filed by Maharashtra Ekta Hawkers Union.

14.   We have considered the respective arguments  /  submissions.   Learned
counsel for the parties are ad–idem that the orders  passed  by  this  Court
from time to time have not solved the  problems  of  the  street  vendors  /
hawkers and the residents of the cities  of  Delhi  and  Mumbai  and  almost
every year they have been seeking  intervention  of  this  Court  by  filing
interlocutory applications.  The experience has, however, shown that  it  is
virtually impossible for this Court to monitor day to day implementation  of
the provisions of different enactments and the directions contained  in  the
judgments noted hereinabove.  Therefore, it will be appropriate to lift  the
embargo placed on the entertaining of matters by  the  High  Courts  and  we
order accordingly.   Paragraph 45 of the judgment reported in (2009) 17  SCC
151 shall stand modified and the street vendors /  hawkers,   the  residents
and others adversely affected by street vending / hawking  shall  henceforth
be entitled to invoke the jurisdiction of  the  concerned  High  Courts  for
redressal of their grievance.

15.   In Gainda Ram’s case (paragraph 78),  this  Court  had  directed  that
appropriate Government should enact a law on  or  before  30th  June,  2011.
Once the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation  of  Street
Vending) Bill, 2012 becomes law, the livelihood of millions would  be  saved
and they will get protection against constant harassment  and  victimization
which has so far been an order of the day.  However,  till  the  needful  is
done, it will be apposite for the Court to step in and direct that the  2009
Policy, of which the salient  provisions  are  extracted  below,  should  be
implemented throughout the country:

      “1.8  A centre piece of this  Policy  is  the  role  of  Town  Vending
      Committee (henceforth  referred  to  as  TVC)  to  be  constituted  at
      City/Town level. A TVC shall be coordinated by a convener  who  should
      be nominated by the urban local body concerned. The  Chairman  of  TVC
      will be the Commissioner/Chief  Executive  Officer  of  the  concerned
      urban local body. The TVC will  adopt  a  participatory  approach  and
      supervise the entire process of planning, organisation and  regulation
      of street vending activities, thereby facilitating the  implementation
      of this Policy. Further, it will provide  an  institutional  mechanism
      for due appreciation of the ground realities and harnessing  of  local
      knowledge for arriving at a consensus on critical issues of management
      of street vending activities. The TVC may constitute, in collaboration
      with the local authority, Ward Vending  Committee  to  assist  in  the
      discharge of its functions.


      1.9   This Policy adopts the considered opinion that there should  not
      be any cut off date or limit imposed on  the  number  of  vendors  who
      should be permitted to vend in any city/town, subject to  registration
      of such vendors and regulation through the TVC. At any time, an  urban
      poor person can decide that he or she would like to go to a  wholesale
      market, purchase some items and sell these  in  vending  zones  during
      permitted hours to make an  honest  living.  The  vendor  may  not  be
      subject to undue restrictions if he/she wishes to change the trade. In
      order to make this conceptual right a practically feasible right,  the
      following would be necessary:


      i)    Vendor markets/outlets should be developed in which space  could
      be made available to hawkers/vendors on a time-sharing  model  on  the
      basis of a roster. Let us say that there are 500 such  vending  places
      in about  a  100  new  vendors’  markets/push  cart  markets/motorized
      vending outlets. Let us also assume that there are 5,000  vendors  who
      want to apply for a vending site on a time-sharing basis.  Then  by  a
      simple process of mathematical analysis, a certain number of  days  or
      hours on particular days could be fixed for each vendor in  a  vending
      place on a roster basis through the concerned TVC.


      ii)   In addition to vendors’ markets/outlets, it would  be  desirable
      to promote week-end markets in public maidans, parade grounds or areas
      meant for religious festivals. The week-end markets can be  run  on  a
      first-come-first-serve basis depending on the number of vending  sites
      that can be accommodated in the designated  area  and  the  number  of
      vendors seeking vending places. However, in order to be equitable,  in
      case there is a heavy demand from vendors the number  of  week-ends  a
      given vendor can be allocated a  site  on  the  first-come-first-serve
      basis can be restricted to one or two in a month depending on demand.


      iii)  A registered vendor can  be  permitted  to  vend  in  designated
      vending zones without restrictions, especially during non-rush  hours.
      Again in places like verandahs  or  parking  lots  in  areas  such  as
      central  business  districts,  e.g.  Connaught  Place  in  New  Delhi,
      vendors’ markets can be organized after the  closing  of  the  regular
      markets. Such markets, for example, can be run from 7.30 PM  to  10.30
      PM as night bazaars on a  roster  basis  or  a  first-come-first-serve
      basis, with suitable restrictions determined by the concerned TVC  and
      authorities.


      iv)   It is desirable that all City/Town Master  Plans  make  specific
      provisions  for  creating  new  vending  markets  at   the   time   of
      finalization/revision of Master Plans,  Zonal  Plans  and  Local  Area
      Plans. The space reserved in such plans should  be  commensurate  with
      the current number of vendors and their rate of growth on  perspective
      basis (say 10-20 years) based on rate of growth over  a  preceding  5-
      year period.


      This Policy attempts to address some of the  above  concerns,  keeping
      the interests of street vendors in view vis-à-vis  conflicting  public
      interests.


      3. Objectives


      3.1 Overarching Objective
      The overarching objective to be achieved through this Policy is:
      To provide for and promote a supportive environment for the vast  mass
      of urban street vendors to carry out their vocation while at the  same
      time  ensuring  that  their  vending  activities  do   not   lead   to
      overcrowding and unsanitary conditions in public spaces and streets.


      3.2 Specific Objectives
      This Policy aims to develop a legal framework through a model  law  on
      street vending which can be adopted by States/Union  Territories  with
      suitable modifications to take into account  their  geographical/local
      conditions. The specific objectives of this Policy are  elaborated  as
      follows:


      a) Legal Status:
      To give street vendors a legal status by  formulating  an  appropriate
      law and thereby providing  for  legitimate  vending/hawking  zones  in
      city/town master or  development  plans  including  zonal,  local  and
      layout plans and ensuring their enforcement;


      b) Civic Facilities:
      To provide civic facilities for appropriate use of  identified  spaces
      as  vending/hawking  zones,  vendors’  markets  or  vending  areas  in
      accordance with city/town master  plans  including  zonal,  local  and
      layout plans;


      c) Transparent Regulation:
      To eschew imposing numerical limits on  access  to  public  spaces  by
      discretionary  licenses,  and  instead  moving  to  nominal  fee-based
      regulation of access, where previous occupancy of space by the  street
      vendors determines the allocation of space or  creating  new  informal
      sector markets where space  access  is  on  a  temporary  turn-by-turn
      basis. All allotments of space, whether permanent or temporary  should
      be based on payment of a prescribed fee fixed by the  local  authority
      on the recommendations of the Town Vending Committee to be constituted
      under this Policy;


      d) Organization of Vendors:
      To promote, where necessary,  organizations  of  street  vendors  e.g.
      unions / co-operatives / associations and other forms of organizations
      to facilitate their collective empowerment;


      e) Participative Processes:
      To  set  up  participatory  processes  that  involve  firstly,   local
      authority, planning authority and police;  secondly,  associations  of
      street vendors; thirdly, resident welfare associations  and  fourthly,
      other civil society organizations such  as  NGOs,  representatives  of
      professional  groups  (such  as  lawyers,  doctors,   town   planners,
      architects   etc.),   representatives   of   trade    and    commerce,
      representatives of scheduled banks and eminent citizens;


      f) Self-Regulation:
      To promote norms of civic discipline by institutionalizing  mechanisms
      of self-management and self-regulation in matters relating to hygiene,
      including waste disposal etc.  amongst  street  vendors  both  in  the
      individually allotted areas as well  as  vending  zones/clusters  with
      collective responsibility for the entire vending zone/cluster; and


      g) Promotional Measures:
      To promote access of street vendors to such services as credit,  skill
      development, housing, social security and capacity building. For  such
      promotion, the services  of  Self  Help  Groups  (SHGs)/Co-operatives/
      Federations/Micro Finance  Institutions  (MFIs),  Training  Institutes
      etc. should be encouraged.


      4.2 Demarcation of Vending Zones
      The  demarcation  of  ‘Restriction-free  Vending  Zones’,  ‘Restricted
      Vending Zones’ and ‘No-vending Zones’ should be city/town specific. In
      order to ensure that the city/town master/ development  plans  provide
      for adequate space for street vendors to  run  their  activities,  the
      following guidelines would need to be adhered to:


      a) Spatial planning should take into account the natural propensity of
      street vendors to  locate  in  certain  places  at  certain  times  in
      response to the patterns of demand for their goods/services. For  this
      purpose, photographic digitalized surveys of street vendors and  their
      locations   should   be   conducted    by    competent    professional
      institutions/agencies. This  is  to  be  sponsored  by  the  concerned
      Department  of  State  Government/Urban  Development   Authority/Local
      Authority.


      b) Municipal Authorities should frame necessary rules  for  regulating
      entry of street vendors on a time sharing basis in designated  vending
      zones keeping in view three broad categories - registered vendors  who
      have secured a license for a specified site/stall;  registered  street
      vendors in a zone on a  time  sharing  basis;  and  registered  mobile
      street vendors visiting one or the other vending zone;


      c)  Municipal  Authorities  should  allocate  sufficient   space   for
      temporary ‘Vendors’ Markets’ (e.g. Weekly Haats, Rehri Markets,  Night
      Bazaars, Festival Bazaars, Food Streets/Street Food Marts etc.)  whose
      use at other times may be  different  (e.g.  public  park,  exhibition
      ground, parking lot etc.). These ‘Vendors Markets’ may be  established
      at suitable locations keeping in view demand for the wares/services of
      street vendors. Timing restrictions on vending should be in accordance
      with the need for ensuring non-congestion of public spaces/maintaining
      public hygiene without being  ad  hoc,  arbitrary  or  discriminatory.
      Rationing of space should be resorted  to  if  the  number  of  street
      vendors exceeds the number of spaces available. Attempts  should  also
      be made to provide ample parking areas for mobile vendors for security
      of their vehicles and wares at night on payment of suitable fees.


      d) Mobile vending should be permitted in all areas  even  outside  the
      'Vendors Markets', unless  designated  as  ‘No-vending  Zone’  in  the
      zonal, local area or layout plans under the master/development plan of
      each city/town. ‘Restricted Vending’ and ‘No  Vending  Zones’  may  be
      determined in a participatory manner. ‘Restricted Vending  Zones’  may
      be notified in  terms  of  both  location  and  time.  Accordingly,  a
      particular location may be  notified  as  'No-vending  Zone'  only  at
      particular times of the day or days of the week. Locations should  not
      be designated as ‘No-vending Zones' without  full  justification;  the
      public benefits of declaring an area/spot as 'No-vending Zone'  should
      clearly  outweigh  the  potential  loss  of   livelihoods   and   non-
      availability of 'affordable' and ‘convenient’ access  of  the  general
      public to street vendors.


      e) With the growth of cities/towns in response  to  urbanization,  the
      statutory plans of every new area should have adequate  provision  for
      ‘Vending/hawking Zones’ and 'Vendors Markets.'


      4.5.1 Town Vending Committee
      a) Designation or demarcation  of  'Restriction-free  Vending  Zones'/
      'Restricted Vending  Zones'/No-vending  Zones'  and  Vendors’  Markets
      should be carried out in a participatory manner by  the  Town  Vending
      Committee, to be established at town/city level.  A TVC should consist
      of the Municipal Commissioner/ Chief Executive Officer  of  the  urban
      local body as Chairperson  and  such  number  of  members  as  may  be
      prescribed by the appropriate Government, representing firstly,  local
      authority; planning authority and police and such other  interests  as
      it deems proper; secondly, associations of  street  vendors;  thirdly,
      resident  welfare  associations  and  Community  Based   Organisations
      (CBOs); and fourthly, other civil society organizations such as  NGOs,
      representatives of professional groups (such as lawyers, doctors, town
      planners, architects etc.), representatives  of  trade  and  commerce,
      representatives of scheduled banks and eminent citizens.  This  Policy
      suggests that the representatives of street vendors’ associations  may
      constitute forty per cent of the number of the members of the TVC  and
      the other three categories may be represented in equal  proportion  of
      twenty per cent each. At least one third  of  the  representatives  of
      categories of street vendors, resident welfare associations and  other
      civil society organizations should be women to provide a gender  focus
      in the TVC. Adequate/reasonable representation should also be provided
      to the physically challenged in the TVC. The process for selection  of
      street vendors’ representatives  should  be  based  on  the  following
      criteria:


      • Participation in membership-based organisations; and
      • Demonstration of financial accountability and civic discipline.


      b) The TVC should ensure that the  provision  of  space  for  vendors’
      markets are pragmatic, consistent with formation of  natural  markets,
      sufficient for existing demand  for  the  street  vendors’  goods  and
      services as well as likely increase  in  accordance  with  anticipated
      population growth.


      c) The TVC should monitor the provision of civic facilities and  their
      functioning  in  Vending  Zones  and  Vendors’   Markets   and   bring
      shortcomings, if any to the notice of the concerned authorities of the
      urban local body. The TVC should  also  promote  the  organisation  of
      weekly markets, festival bazaars, night bazaars, vending festivals  on
      important holidays etc. as well as take up  necessary  improvement  of
      infrastructure facilities and municipal services with the urban  local
      body concerned.


      4.5.2 The TVC shall perform the following functions:

      a) Undertake periodic survey/census to assess the increase or decrease
      in the number of street vendors in the city/town/wards/localities;


      b) Register the street vendors and ensure  the  issuance  of  Identity
      Cards to the street vendors after their preparation by  the  Municipal
      Authority;


      c) Monitor the civic facilities to be provided to the  street  vendors
      in vending zones/vendors’ markets by the Municipal Authority;


      d) Assess and determine maximum holding capacity of each vending zone;


      e) Work out a non-discretionary system and based on the same, identify
      areas for hawking with no restriction,  areas  with  restriction  with
      regard to the dates, days and time, and, areas which would  be  marked
      as 'No Vending Zones';


      f) Set the terms and conditions for hawking and take corrective action
      against defaulters;


      g) Collect fees or other charges as authorized by the competent  civic
      authority;


      h) Monitor to ensure that  those  allotted  stalls/vending  spots  are
      actually using them and take necessary action to ensure that these are
      not rented out or sold to others;


      i) Facilitate the organization of weekly  markets,  festival  bazaars,
      night bazaars, vending festivals such as food festivals  to  celebrate
      important occasions/holidays including city/town formation  days  etc;
      and


      j) Ensure that the quality of products and services  provided  to  the
      public is as per standards of public health, hygiene and  safety  laid
      down by the local authority.


      4.5.4 Registration System for Street Vending
      A system of  registration  of  vendors/hawkers  and  non-discretionary
      regulation of their access to public spaces  in  accordance  with  the
      standards of planning  and  the  nature  of  trade/service  should  be
      adopted. This system is described in greater detail below.


      a) Photo Census of Vendors:
      The Municipal Authority, in consultation with the TVC should undertake
      a comprehensive, digitalized photo census / survey /  GIS  Mapping  of
      the existing stationary vendors with the  assistance  of  professional
      organisations/experts for the purpose of granting them lease  to  vend
      from specific places within the holding capacity of the vending  zones
      concerned.


      b) Registration of Vendors:
      The power to register vendors would be vested with the TVC. Only those
      who give an undertaking that they  will  personally  run  the  vending
      stall/spot and have no other means of livelihood will be entitled  for
      registration. A person will be  entitled  to  receive  a  registration
      document for only one vending spot for him/her  (and  family).  He/she
      will not have the right to either rent or lease out or sell that  spot
      to another person.


      c) New Entrants:
      Those left out in the photo census or wishes to take up street vending
      for the first time will also have a right to apply for registration as
      vendors provided they give a statement on oath that they do  not  have
      any other means of livelihood and will be  personally  operating  from
      the vending spot, with help from family members.


      d) Identity Cards:
      Upon registration, the concerned Municipal Authority  would  issue  an
      Identity Card with Vendor Code Number, Vendor Name, Category of Vendor
      etc. in writing to  the  street  vendor,  through  the  TVC  concerned
      containing the following information:


      (i) Vendor Code No.
      (ii) Name, Address and photograph of the Vendor;
      (iii) Name of any one Nominee from the family/and/or a family helper;
      (iv) Nature of Business;
      (v) Category (Stationary /Mobile); and
      (vi) If Stationary, the Vending Location.
      Children below 14 years would not be included in the Identity Card for
      conduct of business.


      e) Registration Fee:
      All vendors in each city/town should be registered at a nominal fee to
      be decided by the Municipal Authority concerned  based  on  the  photo
      census or any other reliable means of identification such as  the  use
      of biometric techniques.


      f) Registration Process:
      i) The registration  process  must  be  simple  and  expeditious.  All
      declarations, oath, etc. may be on the basis of self-declaration.


      ii) There should preferably be no numerical restriction or quotas  for
      registration, or prior residential status requirements of any kind.


      iii) Registration should be renewed after every three years.  However,
      a vendor who has rented out or sold his spot to  another  person  will
      not be entitled to seek re-registration.


      iv) There may be a "on the spot"  temporary  registration  process  on
      renewable basis, in order to allow the street vendors  to  immediately
      start their earnings as the registration process and issue  of  I-card
      etc. may take time.


      5.1 If authorities come to the conclusion in any given  instance  that
      genuine public obstruction of a street, side walk etc. is being caused
      by street vending, there should be a mechanism of due  notice  to  the
      street vendors. The vendors should be informed/warned by way of notice
      as the first step  before  starting  the  clearing  up  or  relocation
      process. In the second step, if the space is not  cleared  within  the
      notified time, a fine should be imposed. If the space is  not  cleared
      even after the notice and imposition of fine, physical eviction may be
      resorted to. In the case of vending in a 'No-vending Zone',  a  notice
      of at least a few hours should be given to a street vendor in order to
      enable him or her clear the space occupied.  In  case  of  relocation,
      adequate compensation or reservation in allotment of new vending  site
      should be provided to the registered vendors.


      5.2 With regard to confiscation of goods (which should happen only  as
      a last resort rather than routinely),  the  street  vendors  shall  be
      entitled to get their goods back within a reasonable time  on  payment
      of prescribed fee, determined by TVC.


      6.6 Allotment of Space/Stationary Stalls
      Stationary vendors should be allowed  space/stalls,  whether  open  or
      covered, on license basis after photo census/ survey and  due  enquiry
      in this regard, initially for a period of 10 years with the  provision
      that only one extension of ten years  shall  be  provided  thereafter.
      After 20 years, the vendor will be required  to  exit  the  stationary
      stall (whether open or covered) as it is reasonably expected that  the
      licensee would have suitably enhanced his/her income,  thereby  making
      the said stall available for being licensed to a person  belonging  to
      the weaker sections of society. Wherever vending  stall/vending  space
      is provided to a vendor on a lease  basis  for  a  certain  number  of
      years, care should be taken that adequate reservation is made for  the
      SCs/STs in accordance with their share in the total population of  the
      city.   Similarly,   priority   should   be   given   to    physically
      challenged/disabled   persons   in   the   allocation    of    vending
      stalls/vending spaces as vending space can  be  a  useful  medium  for
      rehabilitating  physically  challenged/disabled  persons.  Further,  a
      suitable monitoring system should be put in place by the TVC to ensure
      that the licensees of the stationary stalls do not sell/ let out their
      stalls.


      6.7 Rehabilitation of Child Vendors
      To prevent vending by children and seek their rehabilitation  wherever
      such practice exists, in conformity with the Child Labour (Prohibition
      & Regulation) Act,1986, the State Government and Municipal Authorities
      should undertake measures such as sending the children to  regular  or
      bridge schools, imparting them skills training etc.


      6.8 Promoting Vendors’ Organisations
      To enable street vendors to access the  benefits  of  social  security
      schemes and other promotional measures in an effective manner,  it  is
      essential that the street vendors  are  assisted  to  form  their  own
      organizations. The TVC should take steps to facilitate  the  formation
      and smooth functioning of such organizations of street vendors.  Trade
      Unions and other Voluntary Organisations should play  an  active  role
      and help the  street  vendors  to  organise  themselves  by  providing
      counseling and guidance services wherever required.”



16.   For facilitating implementation of  the  2009  Policy,  we  issue  the
following directions:

      i)    Within one month from the date of receipt of copy of this order,
           the   Chief   Secretaries   of   the   State   Governments   and
           Administrators of the Union Territories  shall  issue  necessary
           instructions/directions to the concerned department(s) to ensure
           that the Town Vending Committee is constituted at  city  /  town
           level in accordance with the provisions contained  in  the  2009
           Policy.  For the cities and towns having large municipal  areas,
           more than one Town Vending Committee may be constituted.

      (ii)  Each Town Vending Committee shall consist of representatives  of
           various organizations and street vendors / hawkers. 30%  of  the
           representatives from the category of street  vendors  /  hawkers
           shall be women.

      iii) The representatives of various organizations and street  vendors
           / hawkers shall be chosen  by  the  Town  Vending  Committee  by
           adopting a fair and transparent mechanism.

       iv) The task of constituting the Town Vending  Committees  shall  be
           completed within two months of the issue of instructions by  the
           Chief Secretaries of the State and  the  Administrators  of  the
           Union Territories.

        v)  The  Town  Vending  Committees  shall  function   strictly   in
           accordance with the 2009 Policy and the decisions  taken  by  it
           shall be notified in the print and electronic media within  next
           one week.

       vi) The  Town  Vending  Committees  shall  be  free  to  divide  the
           municipal areas in vending / hawking zones and sub-zones and for
           this purpose they may take assistance of experts in  the  field.
           While undertaking this exercise,  the  Town  Vending  Committees
           constituted for the cities of Delhi and Mumbai shall  take  into
           consideration the  work  already  undertaken  by  the  municipal
           authorities in furtherance  of  the  directions  given  by  this
           Court.   The municipal authorities shall  also  take  action  in
           terms of Paragraph 4.2(b) and (c).

      vii) All street vendors / hawkers shall be registered  in  accordance
           with paragraph 4.5.4 of the 2009 Policy.  Once  registered,  the
           street vendor / hawker, shall be entitled to operate in the area
           specified by the Town Vending Committee.

     viii) The process of registration must be completed by  the  municipal
           authorities across the country within four months of the receipt
           of the direction by the Chief  Secretaries  of  the  States  and
           Administrators of the Union Territories.

       ix) The State Governments / Administration of the Union  Territories
           and municipal and local authorities shall  take  all  the  steps
           necessary for achieving the  objectives  set  out  in  the  2009
           Policy.

        x) The Town Vending Committee shall meet  every  month  and  ensure
           implementation of the relevant provisions  of  the  2009  Policy
           and, in particular, paragraph 4.5.1 (b) and (c).

       xi) Physically challenged who were allowed to operate PCO’s in terms
           of the judgment reported in (2009) 17 SCC 231 shall  be  allowed
           to continue to run their stalls and  sell  other  goods  because
           running of PCOs. is no longer viable.  Those who were allowed to
           run Aarey/Sarita shall be allowed to continue to  operate  their
           stalls.

      xii)  The  State  Governments,  the  Administration  of   the   Union
           Territories and municipal authorities shall be free to amend the
           legislative provisions and/or  delegated  legislation  to  bring
           them in tune  with  the  2009  Policy.   If  there  remains  any
           conflict between the 2009 Policy and the municipal laws, insofar
           as they relate to street vendors/hawkers, then the  2009  Policy
           shall prevail.

     xiii)  Henceforth,  the  parties  shall  be  free  to   approach   the
           jurisdictional High Courts for redressal of their grievance  and
           the direction, if any,  given  by  this  Court  in  the  earlier
           judgments / orders shall not impede disposal of the cases  which
           may be filed by the aggrieved parties.

      xiv) The Chief Justices of the High Courts are requested to  nominate
           a Bench to deal with the cases filed for implementation  of  the
           2009 Policy and disputes arising out of its implementation.  The
           concerned Bench shall regularly monitor  implementation  of  the
           2009 Policy and the law which may be enacted by the Parliament.

       xv) All the existing street vendors / hawkers operating  across  the
           country shall  be  allowed  to  operate  till  the  exercise  of
           registration  and  creation  of  vending  /  hawking  zones   is
           completed in terms of the 2009 Policy.  Once  that  exercise  is
           completed, they shall be entitled to operate only in  accordance
           with  the  orders/directions  of  the  concerned  Town   Vending
           Committee.

      xvi) The provisions of the 2009 Policy and the  directions  contained
           hereinabove shall apply  to  all  the  municipal  areas  in  the
           country.

17.   The aforesaid directions shall remain operative  till  an  appropriate
legislation is enacted by Parliament or any other competent legislature  and
is brought into force.

18.   The parties, whose applications  have  remained  pending  before  this
Court,  shall  be  free  to  institute  appropriate   proceedings   in   the
jurisdictional High Court.  If so advised, the  aggrieved  person  shall  be
free to file petition under Article 226 of the Constitution.

19.   All the appeals and I.As are  disposed  of  in  the  manner  indicated
above.

20.   The Registry is directed to send copies of this  order  to  the  Chief
Secretaries of all the States, Administrators of the Union  Territories  and
Registrar Generals / Registrars (Judicial)  of  all  the  High  Courts,  who
shall place the  order  before  the  Chief  Justice  for  consideration  and
necessary directions.


                                                  …………………………..J.
                                              (G.S. SINGHVI)





                                              ………………………….J.
                                                   (V. GOPALA GOWDA)
New Delhi;
September 9, 2013.







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