Street vendors with valid certificates are protected from disturbance subject to strict operational and spatial compliance.

The Petitioner, Mrs. Sondevi, is a street vendor who has been operating at a vending site opposite the MTNL Exchange Office in the Tughalakabad Institutional Area for several years

She was issued a Certificate of Vending (CoV) (URI No. 2192156) by the South Municipal Corporation of Delhi (Central Zone, Ward S-82) under the category "Food/Snack with Gas Cylinder/Fire"

The Petitioner approached the High Court seeking directions to prevent alleged continuous harassment by officials from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and Delhi Police, and to be allowed to vend peacefully at her designated site

1. Whether the Petitioner is entitled to protection from displacement and harassment at the vending site based on her Certificate of Vending

2. Whether specific conditions should be imposed on the Petitioner’s vending activities to balance her right to livelihood with public order and safety

The Court primarily relied on the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, specifically Section 21, which mandates the formulation of a vending plan by the Town Vending Committee (TVC)

The Court also applied judicial precedents from similar matters, including Mohd Badruddin v. Municipal Corporation of Delhi & Ors., Rajendra Singh v. Commissioner of Police and Ors., and Rihana v. MCD & Ors.

The Court examined the Petitioner’s status as a certified vendor under the "Food/Snack with Gas Cylinder/Fire" category

Applying the logic of previous decisions in similar cases, the Court determined that the Petitioner should be allowed to continue her livelihood provided she adheres to strict safety and regulatory guidelines

The Court specifically addressed the use of fire/gas cylinders by exempting her from Condition No. 11 of her CoV (which typically restricts such use), provided she uses only a small-sized cylinder for heating to minimize the spatial footprint

The Court emphasized that while the Petitioner has a right to vend, she cannot encroach upon pedestrian areas, must maintain hygiene, and cannot create third-party interests or permanent structures

This reasoning balances the Petitioner's statutory protections under the 2014 Act against the MCD’s duty to maintain public spaces.

The Court held that the Petitioner shall not be disturbed if she adheres to these conditions, though the MCD may take action for any violations

These directions are provisional and subject to any future vending plans formulated by the Town Vending Committee-II under Section 21 of the Street Vendors Act