Asha v. The Commissioner

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED: 17.06.2026

CORAM:

THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE A.D.JAGADISH CHANDIRA AND THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SHAMIM AHMED W.P.Nos.21712, 21715, 21717, 21719, 21724, 21729, 21735, 21737, 21750, 21753, 21758 & 21761 of 2026 and W.M.P.Nos.

23525, 23526, 23527, 23529, 23533, 23539, 23541, 23544, 23571, 23575, 23581 & 23582 of 2026 Asha ... Petitioner in W.P.No.21712 of 2026 Yagatha ... Petitioner in W.P.No.21715 of 2026 Amul ... Petitioner in W.P.No.21717 of 2026 M.Naveen ... Petitioner in W.P.No.21719 of 2026 Jeeva ... Petitioner in W.P.No.21724 of 2026 Uma ... Petitioner in W.P.No.21729 of 2026 A.Latha ... Petitioner in W.P.No.21735 of 2026 J.Sathiya ... Petitioner in W.P.No.21737 of 2026 M.Udhaykumar ... Petitioner in W.P.No.21750 of 2026 Kavibharathi ... Petitioner in W.P.No.21753 of 2026 M.Kumaresan ... Petitioner in W.P.No.21758 of 2026 M.Sangeetha ... Petitioner in W.P.No.21761 of 2026 Vs.

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1.

The Commissioner, Greater Chennai Corporation, Ripon Building, Chennai - 600 003.

The Zonal Officer, Zone 5, Greater Chennai Corporation, Basin Bridge Road, Chennai 21.

The Town Vending Committee, Zone XIII, Ripon Building, EVR Salai, Chennai 03.

... Respondents in all W.Ps.

Common Prayer: Writ Petitions are filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Mandamus or direction in the nature of writ, to forbear the respondents, their officials or anyone claiming through them from interfering with the running of the petitioners' bunk shop at Broadway Area, Zone 5, Chennai 03, wherein selling tea, coffee, snacks and other food items therein till the Town Vending Committee is formed and decides the petitioners' application dated 19.02.2026 made for the grant of issuance of certificate of vending as per the provisions of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood Regulation) Act, 2014. In all W.Ps.

For Petitioners :

Mr.B.Ramprabu For Respondents :

Mr.S.Gopinathan Standing Counsel 2/6

COMMON ORDER (Order of the Court was made by A.D.JAGADISH CHANDIRA, J.) The present writ petitions have been filed seeking a direction to restrain the respondents or their officials from interfering with the running of the petitioners' bunk shops at Broadway Area, Zone 5, Chennai 03, pending the formation of the Town Vending Committee and its decision on the petitioners' representations dated 19.02.2026 for the issuance of a certificate of vending.

Mr.S.Gopinathan, learned Standing Counsel, takes notice on behalf of the respondents.

In view of the consent expressed by the learned counsel on either side, these writ petitions are taken up for final disposal at the admission stage itself.

4.

Learned counsel appearing for the petitioners submitted that the petitioners have been running a business of selling tea, coffee and 3/6

snacks at Broadway, Zone -5, Chennai, for several years without causing any disturbance to the public and have also obtained an identity card from the Greater Chennai Corporation as street vendors. However, the officials of the respondent Corporation are now preventing the petitioners from operating at the said location. Consequently, the petitioners sent separate representations dated 19.02.2026 to the respondents seeking a Certificate of Vending under the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014. Since no action has been taken on those representations, the present petitions have been filed. 5.

Learned Standing Counsel appearing for the respondents/ Corporation, submitted that the aforesaid Act was enacted for protecting street vendors, whereas the petitioners claim to be running bunk shops at Broadway, Zone -5, Chennai. He further submitted that the petitioners have not mentioned any specific area and further, though the petitioners claim that they have obtained street vendor identity cards from the Greater Chennai Corporation, in their prayer, they have stated that they are running bunk shops. He, therefore, submitted the petitioners are not entitled to run bunk shops and hence, the writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. 4/6

6.

Having heard the learned counsel appearing on either side and perused the materials available on record, this Court is of the view that the petitioners are not entitled to run bunk shops. 7.

Accordingly, the writ petitions are dismissed. However, this order will not stand in the way of the petitioners seeking a Certificate of Vending strictly as street vendors, in accordance with the law. Consequently, all connected miscellaneous petitions are closed. No costs. (A.D.J.C., J) (S.S.A., J) 17.06.2026 ham To 1.

The Commissioner, Greater Chennai Corporation, Ripon building, Chennai - 600 003.

The Zonal Officer, Zone 5, Greater Chennai Corporation, Basin Bridge Road, Chennai 21.

The Town Vending Committee, Zone XIII, Ripon building, EVR Salai, Chennai 03.

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A.D.JAGADISH CHANDIRA , J.

AND SHAMIM AHMED, J.

ham 17.06.2026 6/6