Summary: On February 19, 2026, the Delhi High Court addressed a case involving MD. Sarwar, a street vendor in Shalimar Bagh, who sought permission to vend peacefully. The court ruled that he must follow specific rules to continue his operations.
MD. Sarwar, a street vendor in New Delhi, filed a request against the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). He wanted the court to let him sell his goods peacefully at his spot near Kela Godam, Shalimar Bagh. Sarwar had a temporary certificate to vend, but he wanted to change his vending type from "Food/Snack with gas Cylinder/Fire" to "stationary/static street vendor."
The court asked both sides to show pictures of Sarwar's vending spot. The photos told different stories. While Sarwar's pictures showed a clean and tidy area, the MCD's photos, taken on February 16, 2026, showed a messy space with benches and stools. Justice Prathiba M. Singh pointed out that Sarwar tried to mislead the court by cleaning up before taking his pictures.
"Clearly, MD. Sarwar is attempting to mislead the Court by beautifying and cleaning the cart and the surrounding area." - Justice Prathiba M. Singh
The court emphasized that mobile vendors cannot set up permanent stalls. It referred to earlier cases, like Mohd Badruddin v. MCD, to stress that vendors in Sarwar's category should only use small or medium-sized gas cylinders. Sarwar's use of a large cylinder was against the rules. Additionally, the court found that he did not do enough to keep the area clean.
The court set strict conditions for Sarwar to continue vending:
Sarwar was given two weeks to follow these rules, and if he failed, the MCD could take action against him.
"MD. Sarwar shall also be obliged to maintain cleanliness and hygiene around the vend." - Court Directive
The court dismissed the request, reminding Sarwar that he must follow the rules. Justice Prathiba M. Singh and Justice Madhu Jain made it clear that sticking to the conditions of the vending certificate is necessary for street vendors in Delhi.
