SC to dispose of petition of Mumbai hawkers on oct 15

New Delhi, Sep 8 (UNI) The Supreme Court today fixed October 15 for the final disposal a batch of petitions seeking to restrain Mumbai Municipal Corporation (MMC) from removing hawkers in Mumbai.

The hawkers associations are opposing their removal from the pavements in Mumbai on the grounds that it was the question of their livelihood which is an integral part of Right to Life.

A bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices P Sathasivam and J M Panchal also directed that if there is already any interim order against the removal of hawkers, the same will continue.

Counsel for the respondents, however, opposed the petition on the grounds that hawkers cannot be allowed to occupy pavements, infringing on rights of the people to free movement on pavements and these hawkers sometimes cause traffic jams also.

The apex court has already issued detailed guidelines to MMC to implement the National Hawking Policy in the city by carving out hawking and non-hawking zones.

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