Plea filed in Delhi HC seeking reopening of weekly markets or compensation for vendors

Even as malls, markets have opened completely in Delhi, only one weekly market can open in one municipal zone on a single day.

The Delhi high court on Monday directed the Delhi government to reply to a petition seeking resumption of all weekly markets in the city, with all precautions and Covid-19 appropriate behaviour in place, or provide financial compensation to street vendors. The petition was filed by the Saptahik Patri Bazar Association.

An earlier photo of crowds thronging Delhi's Lajpat Nagar market after relaxation of curbs

Appearing for the petitioner, which is an association of several poor street vendors who hold weekly markets in Delhi, once a week, lawyers Rajat Wadhwa and Kartik Kumar Aggarwal argued that a compensation of ₹15,000 per month should be paid to each of the vendors who organise weekly markets within the jurisdiction of the respondents, i.e. the government of Delhi. They also urged the single-judge bench to quash the Delhi Disaster Management Authority's (DDMA) order dated June 13, as well as all subsequent orders, which, they said are "against weekly markets."

The DDMA's June 13 notification allowed all malls and market complexes to open completely from 10am to 8pm, starting June 14. Weekly markets were also allowed to open with the condition that only one such market will open in only one municipal zone each day. Delhi has a total of 12 municipal zones.

"The respondent, despite opening all markets, malls, and other commercial complexes in Delhi, had discriminated by ordering that vendors shall organise one weekly market per week per zone," the plea mentioned, while also stating that these directions, on the face of it, are "discriminatory, arbitrary, whimsical, and without application of mind."

Justice Rekha Palli directed the Delhi government to respond to the petition, and listed August 17 as the next date of hearing.

A lockdown was in place in Delhi from April 19 to May 30 as the Capital, along with the rest of the country, was hit by a devastating fresh wave of the coronavirus pandemic. The restrictions, however, contributed to a decline in daily cases, prompting the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government to announce the first set of relaxations, beginning May 31. Since then, more relaxations have been announced though weekly markets continue to operate as per earlier orders.

(With ANI inputs)