On the 6th of September, 2013, the Lok Sabha passed the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation

of Street

Vending) Bill. The bill, which has several provisions to protect livelihood, social security and human rights of more than ten million urban street vendors across cities and towns of India, has gone through years of struggle. The National Association of Street Vendors of India(NASVI) which has been spearheading the vendors' rights movement has hailed the passage of the much awaited legislation. Now, the bill awaits passage in the Rajya Sabha. If passed, this bill would be the first forward looking progressive central legislation any country has ever legislated in favour of street vendors. The bill greatly empowers the Town Vending Committee (TVC) and gives it power to decide ultimately on almost all issues of determining the vending zones. The Bill also has strong grievance redressal mechanisms. The most salient feature of the bill is its overriding effect over all state and municipal laws as well as police acts. The Bill states that at least 2.5 per cent of a city's population would be eligible for vending licences and it would be mandatory to form Town and Zonal Vending Committee in each and every city. Such committees would have 40 percent representation of elected representatives of vendor organizations, 10 per cent of NGOs and rest of town planners, administrators, police and elected peoples representatives.

The root of the proposed legislation lies in the street vendors' agitation, the Supreme Court verdict and the diligence of the National Advisory Committee (NAC) which felt and recognized the merits of NASVI advocacy for central law in favour of street vendors.