Shillong, July 16: The High Court of Meghalaya today extended the vending hours for street vendors in Shillong, modifying its earlier order from July 3, 2025. The ruling came in response to an application filed by the Meghalaya & Greater Shillong Progressive Hawkers & Street Vendors Association.
The revised schedule now allows vendors to begin setting up their shops from 12:00 PM and pack up by 2:15 PM in the afternoon. During the evening hours, vendors can set up from 7:00 PM and must pack up by 9:15 PM. This adjustment grants an additional half an hour for setting up and fifteen minutes for packing up during both vending periods.
P. Yobin, Advocate for the applicant, argued that the previously restricted hours (12:30 PM to 2:00 PM and 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM) were insufficient, as time spent setting up and dismantling stalls reduced actual business hours and caused hardship to vendors.
Conversely, the Advocate General, A. Kumar, emphasized that the government is actively working to relocate these vendors by July 22, 2025. He stated that vendors from Police Bazar are being relocated to three designated areas: MUDA Complex Frontage, the first floor of the MUDA parking lot, and the Shillong Municipal Board parking lot opposite State Bank of India. The Advocate General suggested that “vested interests” might be behind the application.
The High Court bench, comprising Chief Justice I.P. Mukerji and Justice W. Diengdoh, presided over the hearing. The court mandated that the extended vending hours be strictly supervised by public authorities and a Special Officer. Furthermore, the traffic department has been directed to deploy additional police personnel to manage traffic in the area during these hours.
The application is slated for further hearing on July 28, 2025.
