The Delhi High Court on Friday sought response from NDMC and Delhi Police on a plea accusing them of contempt of the court’s previous order to not evict street vendors in NDMC areas till they have been provided with alternative sites.
Issuing notice to the civic agency and police, Justice Manmohan Singh sought their reply by Monday on the plea of National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) alleging that the authorities violated the court’s earlier order.
The court issued notice to enforcement director of NDMC, commissioner of police, SHO of police stations and other officials and directed them to file their reply by June 27.
The court also directed the civic body and concerned official not to take any coercive action against the vendors till the next date of hearing under any pretext.
The court’s direction came on a batch of contempt petitions filed by NASVI and others on behalf of street vendors of NDMC areas seeking strong action against the erring civic body and police officials.
NASVI counsels Ramesh Kumar Mishra and Sumit Singh submitted before the court that the street vendors have been evicted by the officials in contravention of the court’s earlier order.
They said the vendors have also been harassed on a daily basis by NDMC officials who forced them to close their business by 7.30 pm in violation of court order.
The civic body and the police, on June 21, evicted street vendors saying they were doing business after sunset, they said.
The court had earlier provided protection to street vendors of NDMC areas from any disturbance, harassment and dispossession by the civic body.
