Delhi street vendors seek LG intervention over evictions ahead of BRICS Summit

A delegation of street vendors met Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu on Thursday and raised concerns over the alleged removal and eviction of vending stalls in the national capital ahead of the BRICS Summit, the Indian Hawkers Association (IHA) said.

The association claimed that around 800 to 900 street vendors accompanied the delegation to the Raj Niwas area and sought the LG’s intervention to ensure that they are not displaced without following due legal process.

During the meeting, the vendors alleged that Town Vending Committees (TVCs) were being bypassed while action was being taken against street vendors.

The delegation cited the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, and the Delhi Street Vendors Scheme, 2019, which provide the legal framework for regulating street vending and assign statutory functions to TVCs.

According to the IHA, TVCs are responsible for finalising vending zones, authorised vendors, vending sites and conditions. The association alleged that vendors were being removed despite the committees’ statutory role.

The IHA also referred to a May 19, 2026 order of the Delhi High Court, saying the court had recorded the MCD’s submission that TVCs would finalise vending zones after provisional Certificates of Vending were issued, following which final certificates would be issued.

The association said the court had also directed that vendors operating under the conditions of their provisional certificates should not be harassed or prevented from vending until the TVCs take a final decision.

The vendors also raised concerns over vending fees and sought an officially prescribed fee, proper receipts and a transparent collection mechanism. They opposed informal fee collection from vendors.

The delegation said genuine encroachments, traffic obstruction and violations of rules should be dealt with, but legal street vending should not be treated as illegal encroachment.

The association urged the administration to allow TVCs to perform their statutory functions and ensure that vendors are not evicted or displaced without following due process.

The meeting comes ahead of the BRICS Summit, scheduled to be held in New Delhi on September 12 and 13.

The IHA appealed to the government and administration to ensure that preparations for the international summit do not affect the livelihoods of street vendors.