Street Vendors Without ID Cards Not To Operate In Kochi From December 1: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court has directed the Kochi Corporation to take immediate steps to implement the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014 for the rehabilitation of street vendors within its limits.

Considering that the Corporation has issued identity cards to over 700 eligible street vendors as of now, and was in the process of tracing the rest, Justice A.K Jayasankaran Nambiar ordered:

"Effective 01.12.2021, 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."

The Corporation informed the Court that 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, it was submitted. 

It was at this juncture that the Court stipulated that the process of issuance of identity cards and certificates of vending to the eligible street vendors would be positively completed by 30th November.

Further, the Single Judge also directed that 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. 

On receipt of such applications, the Committee was to consider them and pass appropriate orders within one month. 

"It is made clear, however, that with effect from 01.12.2021, 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." 

To ensure better implementation of these directions, the Court suo motu impleaded the District Collector and the Commissioner of Police as additional respondents in the matter. 

The Court will take this case again on 3rd December.

The petitioners, vendors by profession, had moved the Court seeking release of vehicles, merchandise/fruits and other connected articles seized and taken into custody by the respondents and to refrain from taking any action in violation of Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act.

A series of petitions in this regard is pending before the Court. 

Case Title: Rajesh R & Ors. v. Health Inspector, Municipal Corporation of Kochi & Ors.