Shillong: The High Court of Meghalaya on Thursday directed the Shillong Municipal Board to submit a detailed report on vending licences issued in the Laitumkhrah area, including the names of the licensees.
The report must also identify vendors operating without valid licences, along with their numbers, and be filed in court by August 28, 2025.
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A division bench comprising Chief Justice Indra Prasanna Mukerji and Justice Wanlura Diengdoh issued the directions while hearing an application filed by Seng Samla Laitumkhrah “Ieng Skhem Ha Ka Hok,” a registered society seeking to be included in a pending PIL on the issue.
The society expressed concern over unauthorised hawking in Laitumkhrah and urged the court to extend its earlier orders—implemented in Police Bazar—to evict unlicensed vendors from roads and footpaths in the locality, ensuring a cleaner and safer environment for pedestrians and traffic.
However, the move for impleadment was opposed by the petitioner, the Hawkers Association, and the state government’s counsel. Additional Advocate General Tshering Yangi B argued that the PIL already covers all thoroughfares in Shillong, and that the government’s ongoing enforcement, which began in Police Bazar, will be extended to other areas in phases without the need for additional parties, which could complicate the matter.
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The court took note of the applicant’s claim that it represents the youth of Laitumkhrah and is committed to the upkeep of public spaces in the area.
For now, the Seng Samla Laitumkhrah has been allowed to participate in the proceedings through its presence, without being made a formal party. The court will decide on its impleadment at the next hearing.