By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Oct 27: The High Court of Meghalaya has directed the Shillong Municipal Board to file a report on the eligibility and steps taken for issuing licences to 122 vendors within four weeks.
The court issued the order on Monday while hearing public interest litigations (PILs) in this regard.
The miscellaneous application was filed for clarification and modification of the order dated August 29, whereby the Division Bench presided over by the former Chief Justice directed the State and the Board to file a joint or independent report before the returnable date of the PIL about the present status of the hawkers.
The order proceeded on the basis that, apart from 122 vendors being identified, there could be an additional 48 street vendors whose names may not have been included in this list as street vendors.
The miscellaneous application was filed to clarify that the 48 additional hawkers, described in the earlier order, are already included in the 122 vendors, the list of which was submitted in the earlier report.
The court observed that the application filed for clarification and modification should be restricted only to 122 vendors, out of which 22 vendors were found eligible under the provisions of the scheme formulated under Section 38 of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014; and the Meghalaya Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Rules, 2022.
The court, in its order, said that it appeared that the board formulated the Meghalaya Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Rules, 2022, and on a survey under the said scheme, 22 persons were found to be eligible in the Laitumkhrah area.
In addition to these 22 vendors, 48 persons also submitted their claims for consideration as to their eligibility under the said scheme. The Board is in the process of verifying their eligibility, it was observed.
In the application, it was suggested that if there are any additional vendors/persons apart from the 122 surveyed, they shall be at liberty to approach the Provisional Town Vending Committee (PTVC) for redressal of their grievances along with all relevant documents.
The said suggestion was acceptable to all the parties, and the Court found it to be a fair stand taken by the Board.
“We allow this application [MC (PIL) No.8 of 2025] for modification and clarification of the order dated 29.08.2025 to the extent indicated in this order. The Board shall file a report with regard to the eligibility and steps taken for issuing licences in favour of 122 vendors within four weeks from the date of the pending PIL,” the Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Wanlura Diengdoh said.
Since no affidavit-in-opposition was filed, all allegations were deemed to have been denied.
“On consideration of the reports filed in Court, the issue of free movement of traffic shall be considered on the adjourned date. However, in the meantime, the State may file a status report,’ the Court added.
