The Meghalaya and Greater Shillong Progressive Hawkers and Street Vendors Association and it’s member who are also PTVC members are shocked to see a Notification (SMB/TVC/389/2025-26/91/91) dt. 14/11/2025, that was published in a local newspaper, signed by the ADC East Khasi Hills cum Secy PTVC.
There has been no discussion whatsoever regarding the issuance of this notification and no decisions to this effect in the PTVC and hence the question arises as to how unilaterally the secretary PTVC issued such a notification containing names of persons asking them to appear before a Committee for claims and objections. There was no discussion regarding the setting up of such a Committee nor discussion about this process and date in the PTVC. In fact , despite the associations repeated petitions demanding for a proper SOP with regard to the claims and objections process given the confusion, bias and arbitrary denials that arose when hawkers of the Khyndailad area were issued COVs, there has been no attempt to establish the same, even as the MGSPHSVA has even submitted draft SOPs to the PTVC and Shillong Municipal Board.
When an in-situ survey took place across Shillong in December 2023, it captured only 29 vendors in the Civil Hospital Area although there are approximately 43 genuine hawkers who have been vending in the area for many years. The list that the SMB unilaterally published after completing the survey in Shillong, on 27th May 2024, of so called eligible vendors in the civil hospital area, even though a claims and objections process had NOT taken place contains ONLY 14 names – without giving any reason for denial or exclusion of other genuine vendors. More than 50% of the surveyed hawkers who have been surveyed in situ, i.e about 15 are being wrongfully omitted and not even given an opportunity to participate in the claims and objections process.
While there is an attempt to exclude genuine hawkers, the most recent notification of November 2025 contains only 12 names and includes some people who have not even been surveyed. Such a claims and objections process MUST include ALL the 15 vendors who have been surveyed but are rejected wrongfully along with approximately 14 vendors who have been left out of the survey itself – total of approximately 29 genuine vendors who have been left out wrongfully out of approximately 43 vendors who are vending in the area for years and for whom Street Vendors Act 2014 has been put in place.
Without a fair and transparent process of claims and objections, no licenses should be given out as it may enable corruption, injustice, and abuse of power.
While MGSPHSVA had undertaken a joint inspection of a temporary aternative vending site for the vendors while the site at civil hospital is being constructed, the Association had made it clear that an MoU needs to be undertaken stating that the alrernative site is a temporary measure till such time the permanent space is being made at Civil Hospital in a time bound manner. Vendors will also only move after such an MoU is executed collectively with the hawkers of the area and a proper claims and objections process has been undertaken for all genuine hawkers of the area.
