Wants representation in Town Vending Committee as BMC cracks down post High Court order. Labour, BMC point at each other
Division bench of Justices MS Sonak and Kamal Khata said unauthorised hawking compromises citizen rights
- The BMC has been cleaning up the streets
- In response, the hawker’s union has demanded implementation of the Hawkers Policy
- The Azad Hawkers Union has written to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde requesting a meeting
After the Bombay High Court observed that unauthorised hawkers have taken over every street, the BMC has been cleaning up the streets. In response, the hawker’s union has demanded implementation of the Hawkers Policy that has been pending for eight years. The Azad Hawkers Union has written to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde requesting a meeting to discuss the same. The Town Vending Committee (TVC), which decides guidelines and eligibility of the Hawkers Policy awaits elections.
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The State Labour Commissioner will conduct elections for a representative of hawkers in the TVC; BMC had forwarded a list of eligible hawkers to the Labour Commissioner in December 2023. An official from state Labour Commissioner confirmed the department had received it. “We are waiting for clarity about candidate reservation,” he said, “We have requested BMC to guide us before May 2024. As soon as we receive information, we will start the election process.” Deputy Municipal Commissioner Kiran Dighavar said, “We are trying to start the process in 15 days.”
Meanwhile, Dayashankar Singh, President, Azad Hawkers Union said, “We wrote to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde last week for a meeting. Our major demand is implementation of the Hawkers Policy.” As per the policy, there must be a central Town Vending Committee and seven zone-wise committees, each comprising 20 members. Of these, 12 are nominated while eight are hawkers’ representatives, elected by vendors— 32,000 hawkers are eligible voters. BMC had initiated formulation of the Hawkers Policy in 2016 in response to the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act passed by Parliament in 2014. According to the official, the TVC will prepare draft guidelines of the policy to be sent to the state government, which will finalise it. BMC will then implement it.
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