Rama Shankar and Ors v. New-Delhi Muncipal Council and Ors

O R D E R %

19.08.2026

¶1This hearing has been done through hybrid mode.

¶2The present petition has been filed by the Petitioners under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, inter alia, seeking permission to participate in the survey which is to be conducted by the New Delhi Municipal Council (hereinafter, 'NDMC'). The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.

¶3The case of the Petitioners is that they are street vendors, who have been squatting from various sites at the Sarojini Nagar Market, New Delhi.

¶4The grievance of the Petitioners is that they did not participate in the survey which was already conducted by the NDMC last year, and the prayer is that they may be permitted to participate in the new survey which is now being conducted for the Tehbazari holders.

¶5Further, ld. Counsel for the Petitioners have also placed reliance upon the status report dated 25th July, 2026, to contend that the NDMC has stated that the survey would be conducted on humanitarian ground.

¶6The Court has heard the ld. Counsels for the parties.

¶7The Petitioners have not participated in the survey which was conducted last year. The said survey, which already stood concluded, cannot be reopened now as the elections for TVC-II have been conducted and the vending plan is in the process of finalisation.

¶8Further, the reliance on the status report dated 25th July, 2026 is completely misplaced, inasmuch as the office Order dated 24th July, 2026, issued by the NDMC, relates to a survey for Old Tehbazari holders, Thareja Committee-verified vendors and Kashmiri migrants.

¶9The Petitioners do not fall in any of the aforesaid categories.

¶10Since the Petitioners have not participated in the survey already conducted, no relief can be granted at this stage. However, this would not in any manner affect the rights of the Petitioner to participate, in terms of Section 4(2) of Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, in any future survey that takes place.

¶11The NDMC is also at liberty to take action in accordance with law, as the Petitioners are clearly unauthorised vendors. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.

¶12The petition is disposed of in these terms. Pending applications, if any, are also disposed of. PRATHIBA M. SINGH, J VIKAS MAHAJAN, J AUGUST 19, 2026/dss/sm The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.

* IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI # CNR No. DLHC010386542026 + RAMA SHANKAR AND ORS .....Petitioners Through: Mr. N.K. Sahoo, Adv. versus NEW-DELHI MUNCIPAL COUNCIL AND ORS .....Respondents Through: Mr. Sriharsha Peechara, Standing Counsel for NDMC, Mr. Soumit Ganguli, Ms. Ravicha Sharma and Mr. Akash Sharma, Advs. Mr. Jivesh Kumar Tiwar, CGSC, Ms. Nandini Aggarwal and Ms. Samiksha, Advs. for R-2/Delhi Police. Mr. Anshveer Singh Nalwa, Adv. for Sarojini Market Shopkeepers Association. CORAM: JUSTICE PRATHIBA M. SINGH JUSTICE VIKAS MAHAJAN