Assam: Gauhati High Court issues final warning to GMC on vending zones oversight

The Gauhati High Court has given the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) a final chance to disclose crucial details regarding the Service Provider tasked with developing and maintaining vending zones. A division bench led by Chief Justice Vijay Bishnoi and Justice N. Unni Krishnan Nair expressed concerns over the lack of clarity in the GMC’s additional affidavit, particularly regarding the actions taken by the Service Provider since its engagement on August 5, 2024.

During a previous hearing on August 14, the Court directed the GMC to specify information about 81 vending zones established under the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihoods and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014. The GMC's affidavit listed these zones and confirmed the hiring of the 'Indigenous Vendors Welfare India Association' to manage various responsibilities, including designing uniform vending carts, conducting surveys, and allocating spaces to vendors.

However, the Court noted that no official order confirming the engagement of the Service Provider was provided. The justices stated, “We grant last opportunity to the counsel for the GMC to produce the order dated August 5, 2024, and details of the work undertaken by the Service Provider since then.”

The matter is scheduled for further consideration on October 23, 2024, as the GMC faces mounting scrutiny over its management of the street vending initiative.

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