By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, July 14: Special Officer and senior advocate Subhasis Chakrawarty on Monday stated that the High Court of Meghalaya has directed that the list of vendors eligible to receive the certificates of vending (CVs) must be finalised before any eviction can take place at Khyndai Lad.
Confirming that he has written to Deputy Commissioner, RM Kurbah on the matter, Chakrawarty told The Shillong Times that he has cautioned against carrying out any eviction drive targeting hawkers at Khyndai Lad.
Such action, he said, would be in violation of the High Court’s order.
“I have conveyed to the Deputy Commissioner that the High Court’s order must be strictly followed. Finalising the list of eligible vendors for the CVs is a priority and must be completed at the earliest,” Chakrawarty said.
He also informed that he is required to submit a report to the court detailing the progress made before the next hearing, scheduled for August 5.
“We cannot remain idle. We must show the court what steps have been taken in compliance with its directives,” he added.
The Special Officer stressed that all stakeholders must be consulted and brought on board to finalise the list of eligible vendors.
“I had requested for a meeting, and it has now been scheduled for July 16. During the meeting, we will discuss the way forward. Everyone’s cooperation is crucial, and the court expects this collective effort,” he said.
Only after the finalisation of this list, he explained, can action be taken against vendors who are not included.
Those who are issued CVs will be allowed to carry out vending activities in accordance with the conditions and timings set by the court, the Special Officer added.
It may be recalled that the High Court had instructed that, under the supervision of the Special Officer and in consultation with the general secretary of the Hawkers’ Association, along with local and police authorities, a list of authorised vendors—estimated to be around 349—must be prepared.
Such vendors will be permitted to operate in the area only during specific hours — 12:30 pm to 2 pm and 7:30 pm to 9 pm — and strictly on the condition that their activities do not disrupt traffic or pedestrian movement.
All other vendors operating in Police Bazar without inclusion in this list will be considered unlicensed.
The court further directed that the Special Officer, in collaboration with the association’s general secretary and the concerned authorities, must ensure that unlicensed vendors are not allowed to conduct business in the specified area.
The order also stated that the Special Officer—relying on his extensive experience, maturity, and discretion—must ensure that the court’s directives in the PIL are implemented peacefully and without any law-and-order issues.
The Special Officer is required to submit a comprehensive report, including sub-reports from the local and police authorities, by the returnable date of August 5, 2025.