Address hawkers' issue holistically: SC to Delhi

The Supreme Court has directed the Delhi government to take a holistic view to address the problems of hawkers and street vendors in the national capital.

The court rued that each time an order was passed over the issue, new problems cropped up and people affected sought its intervention.

The bench  granted four weeks to the government to consult the public concerned and other authorities as well as the Centre for preparing a new plan keeping in view the national policy and the legislation.

The Centre has also prepared Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending ) Bill 2012, to regulate street vendors and to provide them social security.
Urban street vendors and hawkers constituted a major component in the National Urban Livelihoods Mission.

“The issue concerning street vending has come up before this court and the Delhi High Court on various occasions in the last four decades. Every time, this court and Delhi High Court pass some or other order, new problems and issues crop up and the affected persons seek intervention of the court,” the apex court noted.

“In Gainda Ram and others vs Municipal Corporation of Delhi and others case (2010), this court had expressed hope that appropriate legislation would be enacted and the problems of hawkers and street vendors would be finally solved.

But that has not happened and for the last two years, the court is grappling with several writ petitions and special leave petitions,” the bench said.

The court was hearing a bunch of interlocutory applications along with several writ petitions against certain orders passed by the Delhi High Court on the issue.

“At the commencement of the hearing, the court invited the attention of the learned Additional Solicitor General to the preamble of the Constitution and the obligation of state and society to ensure that social and economic justice is done to all segments of  society.