Delhi High Court Directs Govt To Hear Shopkeepers, Vendors Before Approving Palika Bazar Vending Plan

The Delhi High Court has directed the Delhi government to hear representatives of shopkeepers and street vendors before taking a final decision on the Town Vending Plan proposed for Connaught Place and Palika Bazar, which were designated as no-vending zones by the Supreme Court in Sudhir Madan & Ors. v. MCD & Ors (2007).

The development comes in a writ petition filed by the Palika Bazar Shopkeepers Welfare Association, challenging the survey conducted by the Town Vending Committee (TVC), the issuance of Certificates of Vending (COVs), and the recommendations made by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) to permit limited vending in areas traditionally notified as no-hawking zones.

A Division Bench of Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Madhu Jain noted that although the NDMC has finalised the Town Vending Plan and forwarded it to the Government for approval, the competent authority is yet to take a final decision under Section 21 of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014.

In view of this, the Court held that the challenge to the plan was premature at the present stage.

However, the Bench emphasised that both shopkeepers and street vendors are affected stakeholders, and their objections ought to be meaningfully considered before the vending plan is approved.

As such, the Court directed that five representatives each of shopkeepers and vendors be permitted to appear before the committee considering the Town Vending Plan on 24th February.

The Court further directed the Joint Secretary, Department of Urban Development, GNCTD, to convene a meeting of the committee with the stakeholders, where both sides would be allowed to make oral and written submissions. Officials of the NDMC are also required to participate in the consultation process.

The matter is now listed on 18 May.

Appearance: Mr. Sanjeev Ralli, Sr. Adv. with Mr. Mohit Mudgal Mr. Ravi Kant Yadav, Mr. Chetanya A. and Ms. Nivedita Sharma, Advs. for Petitioner; Mr. Sriharsha Peechara, SC for NDMC Mr. Aditya Bharat Manubarwala, ASC, Mr. Tushar Sannu, ASC with Mr. Soumit Ganguly, Ms. Ishika Jain, Ms. Ravicha Sharma, Ms. Shruti Agarwal, Mr. Akash Sharma, Ms. Tanishka Grover, Ms. Charvi Virmani, Advs. for NDMC Mr. Vikram Kumar Yadav, Joint Director Enforcement (Mobile No. 9015235420) Mr. Bibhuti Bhushan Mishra with Mr. Dhruv Chauhan, Ms. Niharika Punn. Mr. Himanshu Mishra, Mr. Shivam Mishra, Mr. Rahul, Mr. Siddharth Gupta and Mr. Anubhav Gupta, Advs. for intervenor for Respondent

Case title: Palika Bazar Shopkeepers Welfare Association v. GNCTD

Case no.: W.P.(C) 151/2026

Click here to read order