Street Vending Law And Livelihood Rights In India: A Socio-Legal Review Of The Street Vendors (Protection Of Livelihood And Regulation Of Street Vending) Act, 2014 – Success Or Failure?

ABSTRACT

Street vending is one of the oldest and most visible means by which poor people in India earn their livelihood. The street vendors sell fruits, clothes and many daily-use items at low prices, for their survival. So, in order to protect them from harassment, abuse, torture, eviction, and unfair treatment, the Government of India has formulated a special law in the form of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014. The present socio-legal review explores the effectiveness of the 2014 Act in different ways such as the objectives of the Act, the law, implementation, constitutional importance, the problems faced in the implementation of the Act, judicial decisions and developments in the context of the Act, and the extent to which the rights of street vendors have been protected by the courts. Further, this paper is an attempt to comprehend the success or failure of the 2014 Act. It reviews functionality with regard to its actual practice, whether or not the vendors are treated well by the local bodies and police, and in what way the Act has helped in forwarding the rights of the vendors to a decent livelihood. This study revealed that the success of the 2014 Act cannot be judged in the country based on the existence of the Act as a legal instrument; it should be implemented in the true spirit with sincere efforts with the help of surveys, rehabilitation, and the accountability of the local authorities.