Question raised over PTVC’s legal power to issue relocation notice
Shillong, Jan 21: Peeved by relocation notice served to them by a provisional town vending committee (PTVC), street vendors of Shillong have demanded for holding an emergent meeting of the PTVC with two days, failing which they would launch agitation.
“We would like to bring to your notice that workers of Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) have been forcefully distributing notices issued by PTVC in Khyndailad since January 8, 2025. Many hawkers were surprised as such a notice has not been discussed or approved by the PTVC,” stated a letter written by Meghalaya & Greater Shillong Progressive Hawkers & Street Vendors Association (MGSPHSVA) to the PTC chairperson on Tuesday.
Terming PTVC an illegal body having no jurisdiction to issue such notice, the association also demanded for immediate withdrawal of all public notifications and cancellation of all actions by the PTVC.
“The notice can be construed as an eviction notice as it suggests relocation which has not been discussed threadbare and formally approved by the PTVC members,” said association president Biolin Pyrtuh in the letter.
“Such notices can only be issued by legally constituted TVC,” she said.
The association also demanded for starting the process of claims and objections and creation of list of eligible hawkers and street vendors, who should be issued certificate of vending.
Stating that “there is no TVC till date, but merely a PTVC”, the association also alleged that the governor was misled into signing the notification.
“We hope that the High Court is also not being misled,” it said.
However, the association president admitted that the hawkers and street vendors of Meghalaya had agreed to the temporary PTVC to merely conduct in situ survey, study claims and objections, and prepare a list of genuine hawkers and street vendors.
Pyrtuh pointed out that a legally-mandated TVC would need 40% hawkers and street vendors elected by genuine hawkers and street vendors.
It is this TVC that is legally mandated to approve street vending plan that would include street vending timings, nature of vending locations, holding capacity etc.
“You have been issuing notifications as chairperson of TVC which is illegal and fraudulent. You are merely chairperson of PTVC. We want you to withdraw all the notices that you have issued as the TVC because no TVC has been constituted yet,” she demanded while questioning, “How can you issue public notification on behalf of a non existent TVC and get it published in newspapers?”
She said in view of this the hawkers refused to accept such notices because there is nobody called TVC and this notice is blatantly illegal.
Referring to their previous letters on the matter, Pyrtuh said that the digital insitu survey that we helped PTVC conduct will become legally null and void because most of the hawkers and street vendors surveyed did not receive the digital acknowledgment and survey numbers.
“Even the process of claims and objections has not been done as per law – claims and objections have not been placed before the PTVC so that the members of PTVC can examine and approve it,” she remarked.
Claiming that PTVC members were not part of any identification of vending locations, the association said, “How can the chairperson alone of the PTVC unilaterally come up with location and areas and notify the same.”
The association also claimed that no tenders were placed before PTVC for the contract that have been already given to construct vending stalls in MUDA and SBI main branch parking lot, the president of the hawkers association alleged, “This reeks of corruption because no tenders were placed before the PTVC.
Referring to a presentation at a recent PTVC meeting, the association said over ₹6 crore shall be spent for constructing stalls in three locations, the association said, “We also demand for copies of all presentations and papers placed in front of the PTVC.”
