Full Text
HIGH COURT OF DELHI
Date of Decision: 16th April, 2026
SAMMA PRAVEEN .....Petitioner
Through: Mr. Aditya, Mr. Anjani Kr. Mishra, Vipin Kr., Mr. Kailash Kr Jha, Ms. Pralika Chakraborty, Mr. Fareeduddin, Ms. Srejal Mishra, Advs.
Through: Ms. Meherunnisa Anand, Adv. for R- 1&2
Ms. Vaishali Gupta, Panel Counsel (Civil ) GNCTD, Mr. Siddharth Arora, Advocates for R-3.
Mr. Anil Mishra, SPC along with Mr. Kunal Basu, Adv.
JUDGMENT
1. This hearing has been done through hybrid mode.
2. The present petition has been filed by the Petitioner- Mrs. Samma Praveen under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, inter alia, seeking directions to the Respondents to issue the Certificate of Vending (hereinafter, ‘CoV) to the Petitioner.
3. The Petitioner is also seeking directions to the Respondents to allow the Petitioner to peacefully vend from the vending site on the footpath/open space at Astha Kunj Road, Beside Eros Corporate Tower, Nehru Place, South Zone, New Delhi (hereinafter, ‘the vending site’).
4. The case of the Petitioner is that she is a street vendor who has been vending from the vending site for a long period. As per the Petitioner, she has participated in the survey which was conducted by the Town Vending Committee, South Zone on 19th July, 2025. Pursuant to the said survey, she was issued an acknowledgement receipt bearing URI No. 11293.
5. However, the grievance of the Petitioner in the present petition is that she is being harassed by the concerned officials of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (hereinafter, ‘MCD’) and Delhi Police and the provisional CoV is not being issued to the Petitioner.
6. A photograph of vend of the Petitioner has also been placed on record. The said photograph is extracted below:
7. Ld. Counsel for the Petitioner submits the provisional CoV be issued to the Petitioner and she may be allowed to peacefully vend from the vending site.
8. On the other hand, ld. Counsel appearing for the MCD submits that the survey conducted by the Town Vending Committee, South Zone, wherein the Petitioner had participated, has in fact, concluded in January, 2026. It is also submitted that the provisional CoVs would be issued after due scrutiny and verification of documents.
9. Heard. From the submissions made it is clear that the Petitioner has participated in the Survey but the provisional CoV is yet to be issued. In view of the submissions made by the ld. Counsels for the parties, let the provisional CoV be issued to the Petitioner subject to fulfilling all the necessary conditions, in an expeditious manner.
10. In the meantime, the Petitioner is permitted to vend from the vending site, subject to the following conditions: i) The Petitioner shall be permitted to operate her vend in the manner, as is depicted in the photograph placed before the Court. ii) The Petitioner shall maintain cleanliness and hygiene around the vend which she is working from and shall ensure the presence of a dustbin near the vend; iii) The Petitioner shall restrict herself to a particular space, where she is operating from, and shall not extend/encroach to the pedestrian areas or cause obstruction in movement of pedestrians; iv) No permanent or temporary construction shall also be erected by the Petitioner.
11. Subject to adhering to the above stated conditions, the Petitioner shall not be disturbed from vending at the vending site.
12. Additionally, the above shall be subject to any CoV which shall be issued by the MCD.
13. The present petition is disposed of in the said terms. Pending applications, if any, are also disposed of.
PRATHIBA M. SINGH JUDGE MADHU JAIN JUDGE APRIL 16, 2026 Rahul/sm