Andhra Pradesh: Street Vendors Federation Flags Irregularities In Town Vending Committees
The federation further cited a 2025 High Court order prohibiting authorities from issuing further licences until a proper street vending plan was prepared: Reports
VISAKHAPATNAM: The Andhra Pradesh Veedhi Vikrayala Karmika Federation (APVVKF), affiliated to AITUC, has approached the Andhra Pradesh High Court alleging irregularities in the formation and functioning of Town Vending Committees in urban local bodies.
The federation, led by general secretary Teddu Venkateswara Rao, alleged that the committees had been formed in violation of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, and subsequent state government orders.
It alleged that vendor representatives, who should constitute at least 40 per cent of the committees and be directly elected by street vendors, had instead been nominated without a transparent election process. The federation also claimed that Town Vending Certificates and identity cards required under the Act had not been issued, even as fees continued to be collected from vendors.
The federation further cited a 2025 High Court order prohibiting authorities from issuing further licences until a proper street vending plan was prepared, and alleged that the directive had not been followed.
It also alleged that committees were collecting fees without maintaining proper records, separate funds or auditable accounts. The federation sought judicial oversight, suspension of the existing committee activities, fresh elections for vendor representatives, issuance of vending certificates and a special audit of collections since March 2025.
Rao said the matter was now before the High Court, which had been requested to direct the state government and municipal authorities to comply with the provisions of the 2014 Act and its rules.
HC seeks details from AP on 34% BC reservation in local body polls
The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Wednesday sought details from the state government on how it proposed to restore 34 per cent reservation for backward classes (BCs) in the ensuing local body elections, after the court had earlier struck down an order providing 34 per cent reservation when the total reservation exceeded the 50 per cent ceiling.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Lisa Gill and Justice Challa Gunaranjan was hearing a PIL filed by advocate Yogesh Tandava, who sought revocation of the government order providing 34 per cent reservation to BCs in the local body polls on the ground that it would take total reservations beyond the 50 per cent limit imposed by the Supreme Court.
The court sought details on the purpose of setting up the Rajiv Ranjan Commission and the basis on which it recommended 34 per cent reservation for BCs. It also sought the order constituting the commission and details of the statistics it had collected before making the recommendation.
The bench further sought details of the comprehensive family survey conducted by the state Planning Department. It said it would announce its decision after examining all the details relating to the 34 per cent BC reservation in local body polls.