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‘No street vendors shall be allowed…’: SC orders status quo at Bhadra Plaza
Further hearing on April 6; HC had directed AMC to put up all 586 certified street vendors back at Bhadra Plaza area by March 21
The AMC's petition was heard by the Supreme Court on Friday.
In a relief to the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), the Supreme Court has ordered status quo at the Bhadra Plaza area while adding that “no street vendor shall be allowed to operate from the carriageway”.
A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul Pancholi passed the order while considering the petition moved by the AMC challenging a March 13 order of the Gujarat High Court.
Acting on two public interest litigations, a division bench of the High Court had given a range of directions to the AMC including to put up all the certified street vendors at their designated places in the vending zone at Bhadra Plaza area latest by March 21. In October 2025, the AMC had carried out an eviction drive at the Bhadra Plaza area during which street vendors were evicted.
The AMC’s petition was heard by the Supreme Court on Friday.
Highlighting public safety, traffic and law and order implications of permitting vending at Bhadra Plaza area, one of the most congested and historic parts of Ahmedabad, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the AMC, urged the apex court to intervene in the matter, said a lawyer connected with the matter.
Posting the matter for further hearing on April 6, the Supreme Court bench ordered, “In the meanwhile, status quo, as on date, shall be maintained by the parties. No street vendor shall be allowed to operate from the carriageway.”
HC order
The High Court on March 13 had directed that the 586 certified street vendors be “immediately placed” back in the designated vending zone at the Bhadra Plaza area by March 21.
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The court had also rejected the submissions of the AMC that the interim arrangement for relocation of street vendors, made following the HC order of October 16, 2025, had to be continued till the survey and preparation of a new plan for identification of the Bhadra Plaza area as a vending zone and rehabilitation/relocation of the certified street vendors are completed by the corporation.
The High Court had also directed the Municipal Commissioner of the AMC to file a personal affidavit of compliance with the directions of the court.
The HC order came on two PILs moved by Self Employed Labour Organisation (SELO) and Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA). The petitioners had submitted that almost 506 street vendors had been carrying on their trade of selling goods in and around the three gates of Bhadra Fort for about 45 to 50 years — and that it was a ‘natural market’.
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