more-in Observing that rights of street vendors are being “grossly affected”, the Delhi High Court asked the Aam Aadmi Party government to expeditiously set up vending committees through elections to address their grievances. A Bench headed by Justice G. S. Sistani asked the Delhi government to set up a Town Vending Committee (TVC) in each municipality and consider representations of street vendors in the Capital. The court gave the direction after Congress leader Ajay Maken, along with some NGOs and traders’ associations, alleged that the law on setting up of TVCs had been violated by the government as these bodies do not comprise elected representatives of vendors. The court said, “The matter may be looked into expeditiously as the number of cases are increasing, and on the other hand we find that there are obstructions on roads and pavements as well. In the absence of formation of TVCs, rights of street vendors are being grossly affected.” ‘Fair and just’ “Prima facie, we find the stand taken by the petitioners to be fair and just for the reason that as a general principle of law, a rule cannot override the basic provisions of the Street Vendors [Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending] Act, 2014. We request the respondents [the Delhi government and civic bodies] to consider the representations of street vendors and the submissions made and recorded in the order passed,” the Bench said. A batch of petitions have challenged the Street Vendors Act, which was enacted to regulate street vendors in public areas and protect their rights.

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