States » EastPosted at: Jul 4 2025 12:27AM


Meghalaya HC appoints Special Officer to oversee hawkers’ issue

Shillong, July 3 (UNI) A division bench of the Meghalaya High today appointed a senior advocate, Subhasis Chakrawarty as “Special Officer” to oversee the implementation of its directions related to hawkers and street vendors.
During the hearing of three separate public interest litigation (PIL) related to hawkers and street vendors, Phuyosa Yobin, the legal counsel of Meghalaya and Greater Shillong
Progressive Hawkers and Street Vendors Association alleged that in the guise of enforcing the High Court order dated June, 12, the local and police authorities are forcibly evicting hawkers from the Police Bazar area in the heart of state capital Shillong without observance of the due process of law.
“The eviction drive is allegedly carried on without providing alternative vending space to these hawkers,” Yobin said.
However, Advocate General Amit Kumar and the team of senior State counsel denied the hawkers’ allegations and said that an alternative vending area has been allocated for these hawkers, but they refuse to move from the police bazaar area.
Kumar informed the bench that within a short time all the licences vendors can be accommodated in the new vending area.
Under the Special Officer and in consultation with the general secretary of the Greater Shillong Progressive Hawkers and Street Vendors Association, the Court directed the local and police authorities to prepare a list of authorised or licensed vendors, who are stated to be around 349.
“The other vendors vending goods in Police Bazar identified similarly as (ii) above will be treated as those without a licence,” the court said, adding that unlicensed vendors will not be allowed to vend any kind of goods in the area.
Further, the court directed that licensed vendors will be allowed to vend merchandise in the Police Bazar area for limited hours (12:30 pm to 2 pm and 7:30 pm to 9 pm), subject to the undertaking given by the general secretary and their legal counsel not to exceed the time limit and disrupt traffic flow or human movement.
“If there is a breach, then the Special Officer, along with the local and police authorities, shall not allow any vendor to sell merchandise in the said area,” the bench stated.
The court also stated that the general secretary of the association must ensure that as and when the alternative vending place is provided by the local authority to any vendor, the street hawkers and vendors must immediately shift.
“If he does not then he shall be liable to be evicted from the place of vending immediately,” the court said, even as it directed that 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 by law.
“On obtaining a report from those authorities regarding those applications, this Court will consider taking further action regarding them,” the High Court stated.
“Above all, the Special Officer with his vast knowledge, experience, maturity and tact shall ensure that our orders in this public interest litigation are implemented without any breach of peace or commission of any offence,” the bench said.
The Special Officer will ensure the peaceful implementation of the court’s orders and submit a report by August 5, 2025. UNI RRK SSP
Tags: #Meghalaya HC appoints Special Officer to oversee hawkers’ issue
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