MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Monday directed the city's civic body and police to carry out a thorough verification of the identity of all hawkers and their helpers, including those alleged to be Bangladeshis.
The court said if any person is found to be an illegal immigrant then appropriate action, including repatriation, shall be taken by the competent authorities.
The order was passed by a bench of Justices AS Gadkari and Kamal Khata on a bunch of petitions raising concerns over unauthorised and illegal hawkers occupying footpaths and roads in the metropolis, causing hurdles to pedestrians and vehicles.
The court ordered the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to undertake a comprehensive inspection and scrutiny of all vendors (both temporary and permanent stalls) situated on roads and footpaths.
The authorities shall ascertain if these stalls obstruct pedestrians or vehicular movement, the HC added.
"The BMC and police shall undertake a thorough verification of the identity of all persons, including those alleged to be Bangladeshis or other non-Indian nationals, who operate stalls or carry on vending or hawking activities or work as assistants to hawkers," the HC said.
If any such person is found to be an illegal immigrant, then appropriate action shall be taken in accordance with law, including steps for repatriation by competent authorities, it added.
The court noted that around 99,000 persons have been found to be eligible to hawk, and hence, the BMC is directed to permit them to do so strictly in accordance with the guidelines.
"No other hawkers, other than the 99,000 already found eligible, shall be permitted to carry on hawking activities only if they strictly adhere to the guidelines. All others shall be removed forthwith," the HC said.