Delhi’s street vendors aren’t ‘illegal’ – sweeping evictions violate rights, crush livelihoods

Late on May 17, a squad of the New Delhi Municipal Council moved in on Sarojini Market, popular for its chic fashion at reasonable prices, and razed more than 150 shops.

It was in keeping with the large-scale, aggressive evictions of street vendors that the authorities in India’s capital have intensified since April.

Nearly 20,000 stalls in Delhi have been removed since the beginning of May, according to the National Association of Street Vendors of India. Many of the evicted vendors possess “certificates of vending” – official documents that validate their right to sell goods in designated areas.

The wave of street vendor evictions in Delhi has sparked a debate about the livelihood rights of informal workers.

Legislative protections were established over a decade ago, but Delhi’s street vendors find themselves in an increasingly precarious position. The growing tension between urban growth and the right to livelihood has raised serious questions about Delhi’s commitment to fair and inclusive development.

What is the issue

In many cities around the world, street vendors are an important distribution channel of essential goods and services. Recognising their contribution to the economy, the Indian government in 2014 passed the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act to protect vendors’ rights and regulate their...

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