Delhi HC Extends Time For Submission Of Documents By Street Vendors Under Newly Notified Rules To 30 Days [Read Order]

The Delhi High Court has extended the time granted to street vendors for furnishing documents under the Delhi Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Rules, 2017 to 30 days instead of just 10 days.

"The assurance which is made in the Court, in our view, will go a long way into saving cost, Court’s time and for achieving the objectives of the Delhi Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood & Regulation of Street Vending) Rules, 2017 and for the formulation of the Town Vending Committees, which is an urgent requirement," the Bench comprising Justice G.S. Sistani and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal observed.

The Court was hearing a bunch of Petitions challenging the Delhi Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood & Regulation of Street Vending) Rules, 2016.

During the pendency of the Petition, suggestions were submitted by the street vendors and incorporated in the 2017 Rules, which were notified in January this year. Pursuant to these Rules, all Corporations issued public notices calling upon street vendors to furnish documents enabling them to prepare the electoral rolls.

However, one of the Petitioners had then pointed out that the Municipal Corporations had only provided 10 days time for submission of such documents. This was considered "highly insufficient" by the Court, which noted, "Having regard to the fact that some of the street vendors, who belong to the lower strata of society, are illiterate and would learn about the public advertisements through word of mouth, this Court was of the view that 10 days time was highly insufficient..."

It then directed the Corporations to grant 30 days time to the vendors for furnishing the documents and dismissed the petitions.