Jharkhand HC orders construction of market for Ranchi's Morhabadi vendors within 6 months

RANCHI: The high court has ordered the construction of a market for the vendors of Morhabadi within six months. The order was issued in context of the expulsion of Morhabadi field shopkeepers. In the case of Roshan Kumar and others vs. State of Jharkhand 2022, the court presided by Justice Rajesh Shankar ruled in favour of the Morhabadi street vendors and ordered to establish a vendor market within six months.
The footpath shopkeepers, headed by Kumar Roshan, filed a petition with the high court after Kalu Lama was shot and killed in Morhabadi on January 27, 2022. After the homicide, the district administration in Morhabadi issued a notice to remove all carts and kiosk by enforcing section 144, prompting the filing of the petition.
The vendors commenced protests against the state government's directive. In addition, demonstrators sat indefinitely near Manya Palace, and shopkeepers subsequently lodged a petition with the High Court.
According to the vendors, they were forcibly evicted by the corporation, and after court intervention, the merchants were relocated to temporary locations. After 15 months, the court censured the corporation and issued a ruling, imposing a deadline of 6 months for the conversion of the Morhabadi shopkeepers into a vendor market.
As soon as the court's order was issued, the vendors decided to participate in the victory procession put on by the Morhabadi Dukandar Sangh. On Sunday, a march would begin from Morhabadi Maidan to Albert Ekka Chowk.
Kumar Roshan said, "We applaud the high court's verdict, it is a miracle for those who live on a daily salary and provides justice for the underprivileged."