Lok Sabha Passed the Street Vendors Bill, 2012 for Protection of the Vendors

The Lok Sabha on 6 September 2013 passed the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Bill, 2012 in order to protect the rights of the street vendors in the urban areas. The Bill also includes protection of the vendors from police harassment as well as municipal authorities’ harassment.

Primary features of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Bill, 2012

• The aim of the Bill is protection of livelihood rights of street vendors. The purpose of the Bill is also to regulation the street vendors through the demarcation of vending zones.
• As per the proposed law, any person intending to take street vending should register with the Town Vending Committee (TVC).  Thereafter, a person should apply for the vending certificate which will be issued on the basis of a few criterions.
• TVC shall comprise of representatives of the street vendors, municipal commissioner, local police, planning authority, local authority, resident welfare association as well as other traders associations.
• A scheme for the street vendors shall be framed by the State Government.
• It will be the responsibility of the local authority along with the planning authority, for framing the street vending plan once in every five years time period.
• The Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Bill, 2012 shall not be applicable on the railways premises, land and trains.

It is important to note that the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Bill, 2012 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 6 September 2012 by Kumari Selja, Minister of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation.