The court mandated that regulatory committees must be constituted within strict timelines to verify survey lists and ensure the issuance of final vending certificates. Pending such formalization, authorities are prohibited from disturbing existing vendors, while committees are required to accommodate specific needs like disability and trade nature.

JUDGMENT :

Prathiba M. Singh, J.

1. This hearing has been done through hybrid mode.

2. The present writ petitions have been filed by various street vendors, who have been issued provisional Certificates of Vending (hereinafter, ‘CoVs’) or are carrying on vending activities on the basis of surveys already conducted, though the CoVs have not yet been issued to them. The grievances of these street vendors are several, some of which are set out below:

i) Category of the vendors is not properly mentioned in the provisional CoVs;

ii) In the case of persons with disabilities, conditions have been imposed, requiring them to carry out vending activities as mobile vendors, which is not feasible;

iii) That the site of vending has not been properly specified in the CoVs.

3. On the previous date i.e., 9th February, 2026 in the batch of petitions i.e., wherein the lead petition was W.P.(C) 2243/2022, the Court had considered the status report filed on behalf of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (hereinafter, ‘MCD’) stating that the street vendors survey commenced in accordance with the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, Delhi Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Rules, 2017 and Delhi Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Scheme-2019, has concluded in two phases and 20,247 vendors are yet to be surveyed within the extended period.

4. On the said date, Mr. Tushar Sannu, ld. Counsel for the MCD, on the basis of instructions received, had proposed the future course of action, and after considering the same, the Court had passed the following directions:

“[...]

4. Mr. Tushar Sannu, Id. Counsel for the MCD submits that in furtherance to the above stated steps taken, the next course of action is as follows:

i. Issuance of provisional COVs by the Zonal Deputy Commissioners to the Vendors who have been duly surveyed and are found eligible;

ii. Drawing up of the electoral roll for elections of the Town Vending Committee (hereinafter, 'TVC');

iii. Conducting election for the TVCs across Delhi;

iv. Constitution of the 23 TVCs across Delhi;

v. Finalization of the vending zones in respective areas by the 23 TVCs;

vi. Issuance of final COVs after finalising of the vending zones by TVCs.

5. Considering the course of action stated above, since various steps are still to be undertaken, this Court directs that the MCD shall place on record a proper timeline for this purpose, so that the entire matter can be brought to an end which has been pending for several years now.

6. Mr. Mishra, Id. Counsel submits that vending plans also ought to be finalised. The said submission shall also be considered on the next date and directions shall be issued…”

From the above order it can be seen that the MCD itself had enumerated the various steps that were to be taken by it, in general, for finalisation of the Vending zones, list of vendors etc., Accordingly, the Court had directed the MCD to place on record a timeline for the various steps to be undertaken by it for finalising the vending plans, vending zones, list of vendors and finally issuance of the final Certificates of Vending.

5. Today, a status report on behalf of the MCD has been placed on record. The Court has been informed that insofar as the MCD is concerned, the survey in certain zones was completed. However, the same had come to a stand still due to the membership of the officials of the Town Vending Committee (hereinafter, ‘TVC’) not being finalised.

6. Further, it is also informed by ld. Standing Counsel for the MCD that certain agencie