Karnataka High Court gives relief to footpath vendors carrying on business in open spaces within K.R. Market premises

The High Court of Karnataka on Wednesday directed the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) to allow around 309 members of the K.R. Market Footpath Vegetable and General Merchants Association to continue their business in the open spaces around within K.R. Market premises till the authorities complete the process of surveying street vendors and issuing of street vending certificate to the eligible vendors as per the law.

No structures

However, the Court directed the petitioner-association and its members not to put up any temporary and permanent structures in their present vending place in the open areas within the market premises, and also not to carry out their business activities obstructing entry and exit of vehicles into market premises. The members of the petitioners should ensure that there should not be any difficulty for accessing the market, the Court said.

Justice B.M. Shyam Prasad passed the order while disposing of a petition filed by the association complaining that they were being evicted without following due process of law and without following the 2019 direction of the Court, which had asked the authorities to consider their representation.

Apply for certificates

Meanwhile, the Court permitted the members of the association to apply for grant of street vending certificate to the Temporary Town Vending Committee constituted under the provisions of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014 and the Karnataka Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood, Regulation of Street Vending and Licencing) Scheme 2020.

The GBA had pointed out to the Court that the petitioner-association represents those who occupy open areas/access marked for vehicular movement including ambulances and fire extinguishing vehicles and none of them possess street vending certificate.