HT DIGITAL
SHILLONG, JULY 15: The Meghalaya High Court has instructed the authorities to complete the list of street vendors eligible for Certificates of Vending (CVs) prior to launching any eviction drive at Khyndai Lad. Senior advocate and Special Officer Subhasis Chakrawarty confirmed the same on Monday, stating that any hasty move would be a clear contravention of the court order.
Chakrawarty disclosed that he had written to Deputy Commissioner RM Kurbah, warning against eviction of hawkers prior to the official finalization of the vendor list. He reminded that it would not only be illegal but would also discredit the court. “The list of eligible vendors should be finalized at the earliest. We can’t be sitting idle—the court is looking for visible compliance,” he informed
Related Posts:
As per the direction of the High Court, Chakrawarty must file a progress report by August 5 and provide details about the steps taken to execute the directions of the court. It stressed the need for transparency and the involvement of all stakeholders in the finalization of the vendor list. A crucial meeting has been arranged for July 16 to sit down with all stakeholders and set out the way forward.
The High Court had previously directed that only around 349 approved vendors—named by the Special Officer in consultation with the Hawkers’ Association, district administration, and police—be allowed to operate. The Authority will permit the vendors to operate only within specified hours: between 12:30 pm and 2:00 pm, and between 7:30 pm and 9:00 pm. Official arrangements should be made so that the hawking activities do not hinder pedestrian or vehicular flow during these hours.
Retailers who do not find a spot on the final list will be treated as unlicensed and restricted from trading within designated areas. The enforcement process against illegal hawkers can only start after the official list is finalized. Chakrawarty stressed that CV holders must also meet operational terms imposed by the court.
The High Court has directed Chakrawarty to conduct itself with maturity and sense of discretion while implementing its orders with a view to causing no disquiet to public order. The Special Officer is also required to file a detailed compliance report incorporating police and local administration updates by 5th August, 2025.
