SC directs all state govts to ensure implementation of street vendors bill

The recent legislative development in the Lok Sabha which passed the much awaited Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Bill and the subsequent judicial pronouncements made by the Supreme Court of India on last Monday have given huge relief to the street vendors across the country and now the street vendors  under the banner of National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) are demanding of the state governments and the union territory (UT)  administrators to start obeying the orders of the apex court.

The Supreme Court bench comprising of Justice G.S. Singhvi and Justice V Gopala Gowda has directed all state governments and the UT administrators to ensure formation of Town Vending Committee (TVC) within two months and registration of all street vendors within four months. 

The direction would be binding till the enactment of the central law to protect the livelihood of street vendors. 

Hailing the directions of the Supreme Court, NASVI national coordinator Arbind Singh on Tuesday demanded that the state governments and the UT administrators start working immediately on the directions and ensure that the street vendors are not harassed and victimized by the municipal bodies and the police. He called upon the street vendors to get organised in large numbers for accessing their rights.