T RAMALINGAM Vs. SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Heard the Learned Counsel for the Petitioners, the Learned Special Government Pleaders for the Respondents 1 to 4. No counter is filed on behalf of the Respondents 1, 2 and 4. However, the 3rd Respondent has filed a counter.

(2.) According to the Petitioners, there are nearly about 200 street vendors engaged in street vending activities in Thiruthuraipoondi Town at North Ram Mada Street, where the street vendors are engaged in vending activities. Further, the stand of the Petitioner is that the street vending provides a source of self employment and it acts as a measure to alleviate urban poverty without major involvement of Government etc.,

(3.) The Learned Counsel for the Petitioner refers to Section 22 of Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of the Street Vending) Act, 2014 and in and by which, the 1st Respondent is to form a Town Vending Committee for each locality and the said committee should survey the street vendors and issue certificate for vending. Apart from that, the 1st Respondent had issued a G.O.Ms.No.159 dated 02.11.2015 framed as a 'The Tamilnadu Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Scheme and Rules, 2015' and the vending committee was constituted in terms of the Rule and the said committee shall consist of 15 members, which includes a Chairperson. In fact, except the members elected from the street vendors, other members of the Town Vending Committee shall be nominated by the Commissioner of Corporation of Chennai and in respect of Corporation of Chennai, the respective Regional Directors of Municipal Administration in respect of other Corporations and Municipalities and the respective Assistant Directors in respect of Town Panchayat.