Meghalaya HC settles street vendor relocation case as deadline met

The Meghalaya High Court has disposed of a public interest litigation filed by street vendors after the state government successfully relocated licensed hawkers from Police Bazar to newly designated vending areas by the stipulated deadline of July 22, 2025.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice IP Mukerji and Justice W Diengdoh heard the case on Monday, where Additional Advocate General T. Yangi informed the court that "the government has kept its promise of relocating the licensed vendors in police bazar to the newly designated vending areas, by 22nd July, 2025, which was the stipulated date."

The Meghalaya and Greater Shillong Progressive Hawkers and Street Vendors Association, represented by General Secretary Shane Thabah, had originally approached the court seeking modification of an earlier order that restricted vending hours in Police Bazar, claiming the limited timing was hurting their livelihood.

While acknowledging the successful relocation, advocate P. Yobin, representing the vendors' association, raised concerns about some vendors whose "licences have been wrongfully revoked and hence, they could not be relocated."

The court noted that the original application had sought relief from restricted vending hours, which was subsequently granted with an extended timeline. However, with the government meeting its commitment to relocate vendors by the July deadline, the bench concluded that "nothing remains in this application."

Chief Justice Mukerji and Justice Diengdoh indicated that outstanding issues, including the wrongful licence revocations and relocation of vendors from other crowded public areas, will be addressed when the main public interest litigation comes up for hearing on August 5, 2025.

The case also involved the eviction of unlicensed vendors and the broader question of street vending regulation across Shillong's busy commercial areas.