Meghalaya and Greater Shillong Progressive Hawkers and Street Vendors Association v. Andrew Aibok Jyrwa and 8 Ors

HIGH COURT OF MEGHALAYA AT SHILLONG

MC(PIL) No. 2 of 2025 Date of order: 28.07.2025

Meghalaya and Greater Shillong Progressive Hawkers and Street Vendors Association represented by its General Secretary Shri Shane Thabah

…..Applicant -versus -

¶1Shri Andrew Aibok Jyrwa

¶2The State of Meghalaya represented by the Chief Secretary, Government of Meghalaya.

¶3The Commissioner and Secretary, Urban Affairs Department, Government of Meghalaya Shillong, Meghalaya.

¶4The Director General of Police, Meghalaya, East Khasi Hills District, Pin-793001, Shillong.

¶5The Superintendent of Police (Traffic), East Khasi Hills District, Pin-793001, Shillong

¶6The Deputy Commissioner, East Khasi Hills District, Shillong, Meghalaya.

¶7The Shillong Municipal Board represented by its Chief Executive Officer, Shillong.

¶8The Town Vending Committee, Shillong, East Khasi Hills District, Shillong, Meghalaya.

…Respondents

¶9Shillong Roadside Hawkers Association, represented by Working President, having its registered office at Gita Bhavan, Thana Road, Shillong.

…Proforma Respondent Coram:

Hon'ble Mr. Justice I.P. Mukerji, Chief Justice

Hon'ble Mr. Justice W. Diengdoh, Judge

Serial No. 01 Daily List

Appearance: For the Petitioner : Mr P. Yobin, Adv

For the Respondents : Mr N. Syngkon, Adv [for R1]

Mrs T. Yangi B., AAG with

Mr K.P. Bhattacharjee, GA [for R2-6]

Mr Philemon Nongbri, Adv [for R7]

i) Whether approved for

reporting in Law journals etc.:

ii) Whether approved for publication

in press: Note: For proper public information and transparency, any media reporting this judgment is directed to mention the composition of the bench by name of judges, while reporting this judgment/order.

Mrs. Yangi, learned Additional Advocate General submits before this Court that the government has kept its promise of relocating the licensed vendors in police bazar to the newly designated vending areas, by 22nd July, 2025 which was the stipulated date.

Mr Yobin, learned Advocate appearing for the vendors' Association does not contradict this submission. Nevertheless, he submits that the licences of some of the vendors have been wrongfully revoked and hence, they could not be relocated.

The subject-matter of this application was for modification of our earlier order granting limited time to licensed vendors to vend from police bazar. It was said that this restricted timing was affecting their business. In those circumstances, we enlarged the time permitting them to vend in

the said area. At the same time, the government and public authorities assured the Court that the licensed vendors would be relocated by 22nd July, 2025.

Since that goal has been achieved, nothing remains in this application.

Some additional issues like the one raised by Mr. Yobin noted above and the question of relocation of licensed vendors from other crowded public places to designated vending areas and eviction of unlicensed and unauthorised vendors from those places and all other related or ancillary issues shall be considered when we take up the main public interest litigation for further consideration on 5th August, 2025. List accordingly.

MC(PIL) No. 2 of 2025 is disposed of.

(W. Diengdoh) (I.P. Mukerji)

Judge Chief Justice

Date: 2025.07.28 18:39:46 IST