HC stays notice to evict roadside vendors near Central stn, Anna Nagar

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court had passed an order to stay a notice issued by the Greater Chennai Corporation to remove several shops functioning on the roadside near Central Railway Station and as well as Anna Nagar of Chennai.

Justice N Sathish Kumar passed the orders on hearing a batch of petitions filed by the shop owners.

According to the judge, for regulating street vendors, permission is required from the Town Vending Committee.

"As of now, the said Town Vending Committee is not in existence. The committee has to be constituted by the government. Such view of the matter, power of issuing license and permitting the street vendors entirely vests with the Town Vending Committee, it is for them to take a decision whether to reject the application or remove the existing vendors from that particular place," the judge wrote.

The court directed the petitioners to make a fresh representation to the Town Vending Committee, when it is constituted, and on such representation being given, the Vending Committee shall consider the same and pass appropriate order(s) within a period of two months thereafter.

"Till the committee is constituted, the present petitioner shall not be evicted from the existing places," the High Court ordered.