Shopkeepers demand amendment in Rent Control Act

Scores of shopkeepers today staged a protest against provisions of the "biased" Delhi Rent Control Act and demanded an amendment in the existing law to stop their eviction by landlords.
The protesters, under the banner of Rajdhani Pagdi Kirayedar Sangathan, were stopped at Patel Chowk by police while trying to take out a march to submit their memorandum to the Prime Minister.
The demonstration at Jantar Mantar was attended by representatives of several market associations to demand an amendment to Delhi Rent Control Act to stop eviction of shokpkeepers by their landlords.
"There are more than 5 lakh Pagdi traders who are facing the danger of eviction under the provision of the Act. These traders are small-scale businessmen who earn their livelihood from shops rented by them after paying Pagdi (amount paid to landlord while entering rent)," said a statement of the organisation.

The organisation said the Delhi Rent Control act is considered as one of "the most biased" Acts of the country which "favors" landlords.
Rent Control Acts of Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh, on the other side are balanced which address the interests of both landlords and tenants, the statement said.