Delhi HC junks plea by street vendors on Okhla encroachment PIL

New Delhi, April 21 The Delhi High Court on Thursday refused to entertain a plea filed by street vendors seeking impleadment in the suo moto Public Interest Litigation encroachments pertaining to the encroachments in Okhla industrial area in the national capital.

Noting that the vendors have no right to occupy a place round the clock, a division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Navin Chawla dismissed the impleadment application.

"In the garb of vending, you can't set up a stall, keep your goods, lock it every day and encroach on the area. You can't do that!" the bench observed.

"We have not stopped vending, we have asked to remove encroachment," it added.

The move of the vendors was following the court order on March 23, in which the High Court had ordered the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (DSIIDC) and South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) directed to hold a joint meeting to chalk out programme to remove the unauthorised encroachment on public land and street in the Okhla Industrial Area and take action thereon.