The Meghalaya High Court on Monday observed that the exercise to identify vending zones in Shillong is progressing satisfactorily and directed the Shillong Municipal Board to file a fresh status affidavit by January 28.
A division bench headed by Chief Justice Soumen Sen was hearing a public interest litigation concerning the regulation and streamlining of the hawking business in the state capital, particularly in Laitumkhrah, a major commercial and residential area.
Taking on record an affidavit filed by the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB), the court noted that “satisfactory progress” had been made in identifying vending zones in the locality. According to the affidavit, 43 claims were submitted by street vendors. Of these, 14 vendors were already included in an earlier list published by the Provisional Town Vending Committee (PTVC).
The remaining 29 vendors were called for hearings, following which 15 were found to be genuine. Their names were subsequently recommended to the PTVC for further action.
The court was also informed that in its meeting held on December 4, the PTVC resolved to finalise the list of street vendors in the Laitumkhrah area after the designated vending zones are formally notified by the government.
Additionally, a sub-committee of the PTVC has been constituted to verify claims and objections and to frame a standard operating procedure for conducting hearings. This process, the court was told, has been undertaken with the approval of the Hawkers’ Association.
Recording the submission that the identification of hawking locations is expected to be completed by the first week of January 2026, the High Court listed the matter for further hearing on January 28.
