Recognizing that hawkers deserved to be treated with respect and dignity, the Supreme Court’s Division bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta granted interim protection from eviction to 19,000-odd street vendors in Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pune, Maharashtra.

In October 2023, Respondent No. 1, Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, requested a minimum of six weeks to carry out the process under the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014. Nearly a year later, in September, the Corporation reported that the final list of 19,792 street vendors had been prepared as of 07.02.2024. However, citing financial limitations and resource constraints, it sought additional time to accommodate all the vendors on the list.

Observing that the Corporation's exercise was still ongoing, the Court ordered that the status quo regarding the possession and functioning of street vendors be maintained until the process is completed.

“The exercise to accommodate the 19792 street-vendors or 14000 and odd street-vendors, as pointed out by the learned counsel appearing for the respondent Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, is continuing. Until the exercise is completed, the parties shall maintain status quo with respect to possession and functioning of the street-vendors” the bench stated.

Ultimately the bench granted Respondent no. 1 prays for a week’s time to file the up-to-date status of compliance and listed the matter for further hearing on 15.04.2025.

Case Title: Maharashtra Pheriwala Kranti Mahasangh v. Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation & Ors., SLP(C) No. 5144/2023

Advocate For Petitioner(s): Mr. Zain Haider, Adv. Mr. Umesh Kumar, Adv. Mr. Satya Mitra, AOR

Advocate For Respondent(s): Mr. Shivaji M. Jadhav, AOR Mr. Brij Kishor Sah, Adv. Mr. Adarsh Kumar Pandey, Adv. & Ors