Hawking allowed from 12.30 pm – 2 pm and from 7.30 pm – 9 pm
Unregistered vendors barred from doing business in Khyndai Lad
SHILLONG, July 3: In a partial respite for licenced vendors in Police Bazar, the High Court of Meghalaya on Thursday ordered that they shall be allowed a limited number of days and a limited time each day – from 12.30 pm to 2 pm and from 7.30 pm to 9 pm – to vend merchandise in the place they are vending now (Police Bazar), subject to the undertaking given by the Meghalaya and Greater Shillong Progressive Hawkers and Street Vendors Association (MGSPHSVA) general secretary through the counsel that those licenced vendors shall not exceed the time limit and move out of the area as scheduled to ensure that there is no disruption in traffic flow or human movement.
The division bench, comprising Chief Justice Indra Prasanna Mukerji and Justice Wanlura Diengdoh, said if there is any breach, then the special officer appointed by the court along with the local and police authorities shall not allow any vendor to sell merchandise in that area.
The court appointed senior advocate Subhasis Chakrawarty as special officer to deal with matters pertaining to hawkers in the Police Bazar area of Shillong.
“The general secretary of the association also undertakes to this Court and shall ensure that as and when the alternative vending place is provided by the local authority to any vendor, he will immediately shift. If he does not, then he shall be liable to be evicted from the place of vending immediately,” the court said in an order.
“The other hawkers shall be free to make applications before the appropriate authorities to obtain a valid licence which may be considered by those authorities in accordance with law. On obtaining a report from those authorities regarding those applications, this Court will consider taking further action regarding them,” the court further said.
An application was moved by advocate Phuyosa Yobin on behalf of the hawkers’ association. It was alleged that in the guise of enforcing the court’s order dated 12th June, 2025, the local and police authorities are forcibly evicting hawkers from the Police Bazar area without observance of the due process of law and without providing alternative vending space to these hawkers.
The allegation was denied in its entirety by Advocate General Amit Kumar and the “team of senior government counsel”.
They contended that although an alternative vending area has been allocated for these hawkers, yet they refused to move from the Police Bazar area. The Advocate General submitted that all the licenced vendors can be accommodated in the new vending area within a short time.
After hearing the counsels, the division bench issued certain directions. It appointed Chakrawarty as the special officer at an initial remuneration of Rs 75,000 to be paid by the government.
The court directed that under the special officer and in consultation with the general secretary of the Hawkers’ Association, the local and police authorities will prepare a list of authorised or licenced vendors which are stated to be around 349. The other vendors vending goods in the Police Bazar will be treated as those without licence.
According to the court, the special officer along with the general secretary of the Association, the local and police authorities will see to it that these unlicenced vendors do not vend any kind of goods in the area in question.
It added that the special officer, with his vast knowledge, experience, maturity and tact, shall ensure that the court’s orders in the PIL are implemented without any breach of peace or commission of any offence.
The court said the special officer will file a report containing sub-reports by the local and police authorities by the next returnable date which is August 5, 2025.
