TIRUCHY: The long-pending election to the town vending committee (TVC), originally scheduled for November 22, has been deferred yet again due to legal challenges. A section of vendors have approached the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, alleging irregularities in the city corporation's vendor list, forcing the civic body to defer the election.
The election, initially planned for November 12, was put off to November 22 following pleas from vendors citing Deepavali. However, a directive from the high court has now prompted the corporation to verify its vendor list of 6,220 entries.
The verification process, set to begin on Saturday, aims to eliminate discrepancies such as double entries, forged documents and ineligible card holders. The corporation is expected to submit its report to the court by the second week of December.
“We are conducting a thorough inspection to ensure the vendor list is accurate and free from duplication. For instance, there have been cases where both a husband and wife received vendor cards for the same stall, either mistakenly or through forged documents,” a senior corporation official said.
Sources indicate that pending court approval of the revised list, the TVC election could be held in January 2025. “If the court is satisfied with the verification, we will need 15 to 20 days to finalise election formalities. The election is likely to take place in the first or second week of January 2025,” a source said.
Meanwhile, residents have raised concerns over the growing number of street vendors encroaching on pedestrian pathways, particularly in areas like NSB Road and Big Bazaar Street. "If the legal process is prolonged, the corporation should consider classifying streets into vending and non-vending zones to manage the situation,” said T Kumaran of Thillai Nagar.