Authority: High Court of Odisha at Cuttack
Order Date: 25 September 2026
Case Overview
- The matter was heard through a hybrid arrangement (video conferencing/physical mode).
- Petitioner: Debabrata Sahu (also spelled Sahoo), a street vendor operating at Ward No.41, Unit‑3, near Sriya Complex, opposite ICICI Bank, Kharvela Nagar, Bhubaneswar, Khordha district.
- Opposite parties: State of Odisha and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), represented by Mr. P.K. Mohanty and Adv. Pronoy Mohanty.
- The petitioner seeks protection under the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014 and the Odisha Street Vendors Scheme, 2015, requesting an injunction against eviction from his place of business.
- He has been operating at the location for the last 35 years and is solely dependent on this livelihood; eviction would cause starvation for his family.
- He was issued a Street Vending Certificate on 01‑08‑2020 and a Street Vendor Token No.41 on 04‑12‑2015 by the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, identifying him as a street vendor.
- He has filed an application in Form II for renewal of the certificate; the application is pending before the Town Vending Committee of BMC.
- Counsel for the petitioner argued that eviction steps are being taken while the renewal application is pending, prompting the filing of the writ petition (W.P.(C) No.30167 of 2026).
Final Outcome
- The Court, without expressing any opinion on the merits of the renewal application, orders that upon production of a certified copy of this order together with the Form II application, the Town Vending Committee, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation shall consider the renewal application expeditiously, within a period of one month from receipt.
- Until a decision is taken on the Form II application, the BMC shall not take any coercive measure for eviction of the petitioner.
- An urgent certified copy of this order may be obtained on proper application.
Topics: Street Vendors, Legal Protection, Urban Governance