Delhi High Court
Administrative and Public LawCivil Law

Widow may continue her late husband’s street vending while transfer application is pending, Delhi High Court rules

Sushila Devi vs Municipal Corporation Of Delhi And Ors

Delhi High CourtJUDGMENT: September 24, 20262 MIN READSOURCE JUDGMENT
Widow may continue her late husband’s street vending while transfer application is pending, Delhi High Court rules. Sushila Devi vs Municipal Corporation Of Delhi And Ors. Delhi High Court. LawLens
THE ORIGINAL LAWLENS SUMMARY
01

Facts

The petitioner sold snacks and packaged water from a cart near Sarai Kale Khan Metro Station.

Source reference: p. 1

Her late husband held a provisional Certificate of Vending (CoV) for the Central Zone, Ward S-56.

Source reference: p. 1

After his death on 3 September 2024, she applied on 19 August 2026 to have the provisional CoV transferred to her name.

Source reference: p. 1

She sought permission to continue vending while that application was pending; the MCD submitted that the Town Vending Committee (TVC) had jurisdiction over the transfer.

Source reference: p. 1–3
02

Issues

Whether the petitioner, as the spouse of a deceased provisional CoV holder, could continue vending pending consideration of her application to transfer the CoV.

Source reference: p. 2–4

Whether the petitioner’s transfer application should be considered by the TVC.

Source reference: p. 2–4
03

Law Applied

Section 5(2) of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014 provides that, upon the death, permanent disability, or illness of a CoV holder, the spouse may vend in the holder’s place until the CoV expires.

Source reference: p. 3

Clauses 2.1.2 and 2.1.12 of the 2016 Scheme make a CoV non-transferable except in specified circumstances, including the vendor’s death, and permit legal heirs to apply to the TVC for transfer, subject to the stated conditions.

Source reference: p. 3–4

The Court read these provisions together to treat the spouse as a legal heir eligible to continue the vending business.

Source reference: p. 4
04

Reasoning

The petitioner produced her husband’s provisional CoV and death certificate.

Source reference: p. 3–5

Applying Section 5(2) and the 2016 Scheme, the Court concluded that a spouse may continue vending after the CoV holder’s death and may seek transfer of the CoV as a legal heir.

Source reference: p. 3–5

Because TVC-2 was in the process of being constituted, the Court directed that the transfer application be considered by that committee once constituted, while permitting the petitioner to vend in the meantime subject to the provisional CoV conditions.

Source reference: p. 3–5
05

Holding

The Court permitted the petitioner to continue vending in accordance with the provisional CoV conditions and directed TVC-2 to consider her 19 August 2026 representation within three months after the committee is constituted, subject to her completing all formalities.

The petitioner was not to be disturbed from vending, and the petition and pending applications were disposed of accordingly.

Source reference: p. 5
06

Acts & Sections Cited

1 provisions across 1 statute referred to in this judgment. Each provision opens on LawLens.

Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 20141

Delhi High Court

Original Court PDF

Sushila DevivsMunicipal Corporation Of Delhi And Ors

Delhi High Court · September 24, 2026

Click to open original judgment

Original judgment, available to read, download and summarize on LawLens.in

Click to open original judgment