Today(on 22nd July), The Bombay High Court criticized police and civic authorities for failing to address illegal hawking, questioning if vendors would be allowed outside the Mantralaya or governor’s house. Justices M S Sonka and Kamal Khata stressed the need for a permanent solution and rejected claims of helplessness by the authorities.
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MUMBAI: Today(on 22nd July), The Bombay High Court strongly criticized the police and civic authorities for their failure to address the persistent issue of illegal hawking. The court questioned whether vendors would be permitted to set up stalls outside the Mantralaya or the governor’s house if the situation continued unchecked.
A division bench comprising Justices M S Sonka and Kamal Khata emphasized the need for a permanent solution to the recurring problem of illegal hawkers and vendors. The judges underscored that the authorities could not continue to claim helplessness in resolving the issue.
“This must be stopped, and it cannot continue to blatantly recur.”
-the court asserted.
Authorities’ Inaction on Citizen Complaints:
The court expressed its disappointment over the lack of action by civic bodies and police authorities in response to citizens’ complaints about illegal and unauthorized hawkers.
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The bench stated-
“Do you want citizens to come and sit in court every day? This is sheer harassment. It’s complete lawlessness. The corporation and police ignore citizens’ complaints. What is a common man supposed to do?”
The judges further criticized the state machinery, remarking-
“Those who follow the law suffer. The entire state machinery has collapsed. Unauthorized hawkers brazenly appear. If this happened in front of the Mantralaya or the governor’s house, it would stop immediately because of the security there.”
Last year, the Bombay High Court took suo motu cognizance of the issue of illegal and unauthorized hawkers and vendors in Mumbai. The court’s proactive stance highlighted the severity of the problem and the need for immediate action.
In June, the court directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the police to submit a detailed affidavit outlining their actions against illegal hawkers and the measures taken to prevent the problem. However, during the recent hearing, BMC counsel Anil Singh and government pleader Purnima Kantharia, representing the police, requested more time to file their affidavits.
The bench, visibly irked by the delay, emphasized the seriousness of the matter.
“Work diligently and file an affidavit within a week.”
– the court ordered, setting the next hearing date for July 30.
The judges warned that if the authorities could not comply with court orders, they might consider closing the case.
In a sarcastic tone, the bench also questioned whether the Army should be called in, as the police and civic authorities seemed incapable of controlling the illegal hawkers and vendors.
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In its order last month, the court observed that hawkers and street vendors had virtually taken over streets and bylanes, leaving pedestrians with no space to walk on footpaths. The situation was exacerbated by haphazard parking, forcing pedestrians to navigate between unauthorized hawkers and poorly parked vehicles.
