JUDGMENT

AHMADI, J.:- A large number of writ petitions were filed in this Court by persons claiming a right to trade on the pavements situate within the areas under the control of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the New Delhi Municipal Committee (NDMC) in different parts of the city of Delhi. These writ petitions filed under Art. 32 of the Constitution and certain appeals brought under Art. 136 of the Constitution against adverse judgments of the Delhi High Court were referred to a Constitution Bench of this Court for deciding on the grievance of the pavement-traders that the Municipal Authorities were violating their fundamental rights under Arts. 14, 19(1)(g) and/or 21 of the Constitution by refusing to permit them to trade on streets and footpaths in different localities of the city of Delhi. The Constitution Bench by its judgment dated 30th August, 1989 in Sodan Singh v. New Delhi Municipal Committee (1989) 4 SCC 155 came to the conclusion that the right to carry on trade or business mentioned in Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution on street pavements, if properly regulated, cannot be denied on the ground that the street pavements are meant exclusively for pedestri