Denied licence to sell crackers, Delhi shopkeepers move HC

With Diwali just a month away, four vendors have moved the Delhi High Court seeking directions to civic agencies, fire services and Delhi Police, to grant them licence for selling firecrackers.
In a petition, the four central Delhi shopkeepers have sought directions to the government departments to grant them temporary 'tehbazari' licence to sell crackers from makeshift tin sheds on the footpath alongside Kamla Nehru Park.
"The municipal corporations were playing the game of pick and choose as the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) had granted licence to sell crackers even in congested areas while the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) had refused to grant any even as they fulfill all guidelines," the petition filed through advocate Anuj Arora said.

Nagender Kumar, Manoj Madaan, Ramesh Rajpal and Prem moved the high court after NDMC refused to give them tehbazari licence citing a communication from Delhi Police.
The petitioners said they used to earn their livelihood by selling crackers ahead of Diwali from makeshift tin sheds on the footpath alongside Kamla Nehru Park, opposite Subzi Mandi police station.
They said after the licence was made mandatory, they are being denied licence even though they fulfill all safety guidelines.

The petition in likely to come up for hearing tomorrow.
Kumar said they had earlier approached the high court in 2010. The court had then directed MCD to consider their request, following which they were given no-objection certificate from MCD and also the fire department to sell crackers from the makeshift shop.

However, Delhi Police had denied permission even when they had fulfilled all the safety guidelines issued by it.