Kerala HC directs Kochi Corpn not to allow street vendors operate sans certificate
Nov 17, 2021
Kochi (Kerala) [India], November 17 : Directing the Kochi Corporation to implement the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, for the rehabilitation of street vendors within its limits, the Kerala High Court on Wednesday said that the street vendor without certificates from the Town Vending Committee should not be permitted to put out stalls within the limits of the Corporation.
Single Bench of Justice AK Jayasankaran Nambiar ruled, "Effective from December 1st, 2021, only such street vendors as having obtained the certificates of vending from the Town Vending Committee of the Cochin Corporation shall be permitted to carry on street vending activities within the limits of Cochin Corporation. Street vendors operating within the limits of the Corporation without obtaining the prerequisite identity cards and certificates may apply to the Town Vending Committee for the same. With effect from December 1st, 2021, such persons/applicants shall not be permitted to carry on street vending activities till such time as they obtain the certificate of vending from the Town Vending Committee of the Cochin Corporation."
On this, the counsel of Kochi Corporation informed the Court, "Apart from the 876 street vendors initially found eligible, an additional 927 have applied for identity cards. Out of this, 398 were identified to be eligible, and the said list had been forwarded to the Town vending Committee for approval. The issue of approval would most likely be taken up on a meeting scheduled on 19th November."
This is in a petition filed by more than one person seeking the release of vehicles, merchandise/fruits and other connected articles seized and taken into custody by the authorities and to refrain from taking any action in violation of the Street Vendors Act.
In this, the court suo motu impleaded the Ernakulam District Collector and the Kochi City Police Commissioner as additional respondents.
The court posted this matter to December 3 for further proceedings.
