The Delhi high court on Monday asked the Delhi Government to file a reply on a petition seeking to resume all weekly markets with all precautions and COVID-19 appropriate behavior or provide financial assistance to street vendors. The petitioner Saptahik Patri Bazar Association has sought either to resume the weekly market with precaution or to give financial aid of Rs 15,000 per month to each of the street vendors who organise ‘Weekly Markets’ within the jurisdiction of Respondent.
Justice Rekha Palli asked the Delhi government to file a reply to the petition filed by the association.
The court listed the matter for August 17.
Appearing for the petitioner, Lawyer Rajat Wadhwa and Kartik Kumar Aggarwal sought to quash the order dated June 13, 2021, and all subsequent orders of the Delhi Disaster Management Committee against weekly markets.
The petitioner sought to resume all ‘Weekly Markets’ in all zones of Delhi with all precautions and Covid appropriate behavior at their old designated places.
The petitioner is an association of several poor mobile street vendors who hold ‘Weekly Markets’ in several parts of Delhi, once a week, which are popularly known as either ‘Som Bazaar’, ‘Mangal Bazaar’, ‘Budh Bazaar’ and so on.
“The petitioner association is aggrieved by the inaction of Respondent, who despite directions of this Court contained in Order dated 03.06.2021, have failed to take any decision on the representation dated 19.05.2021, which had sought to either complete resumption of ‘Weekly Market’ or in the alternative financial assistance for the Poor Street Vendors,” read the plea.
According to the petition, Respondent Delhi government, despite having opened all markets, malls, and other commercial complexes in Delhi, has discriminated against the petitioner by ordering that they shall only organize one weekly market’ per week per zone.
The said directions, on the face of it, are discriminatory, arbitrary, whimsical and without application of mind, the petitioner stated.
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