Meghalaya HC to examine wrongful revocation of vendor licences on August 5

The Meghalaya High Court will examine allegations of wrongful revocation of street vendor licences during a key hearing scheduled for August 5. The matter has drawn attention as it directly affects the livelihoods of several hawkers who claim they were excluded from relocation despite holding valid licences.

The court is set to review not only the issue of allegedly cancelled licences but also broader concerns related to vendor relocation, management of public vending zones, and the eviction of unlicensed sellers. These topics will be taken up under the main public interest litigation concerning street vending regulations.

The state government had earlier informed the court that licensed vendors operating in the busy Police Bazar area were successfully shifted to newly designated vending zones by the July 22 deadline. This development was in line with a prior court directive that extended the temporary vending period for licensed vendors until the relocation was completed.

However, legal representatives for the affected hawkers maintain that several vendors were unable to move because their licences were revoked without due cause. These cases will now be evaluated during the upcoming hearing.

With MC(PIL) No. 2 of 2025 now disposed of, the focus shifts to ensuring that vendor rights are protected while maintaining order in high-traffic areas of Shillong.