Chander Kesh Vs Robin Baleja, Chief Executive Officer (Ceo)… — Contempt of Court | Delhi HC (2026)

Chander Kesh Vs Robin Baleja, Chief Executive Officer (Ceo)… — Contempt of Court | Delhi HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Contempt petitions disposed of on the strength of the respondents' recorded statement that a further TVC meeting will be convened within three weeks to consider the petitioners' documents (including three challans issued prior to 27.12.2023) and take an appropriate decision on their requests for issuance of a 'Certificate of Vending'; failing completion within that period, the respondents shall not pose any impediment to the petitioners' vending activities; pending applications stand disposed of.

Issue for consideration

Whether the respondents complied with, or wilfully disobeyed, the directions in the writ orders dated 01.12.2025/28.11.2025 requiring consideration of the petitioners' representations for grant of a Certificate of Vending. +1 more

Court's answer

On the basis of the recorded statement, the contempt petitions stand disposed of in those terms; the Court did not adjudicate contempt or impose any sanction.

Ratio / Principle

The Court recorded and took on record the statement of learned counsel for the respondents that another meeting of the TVC shall be convened within three weeks, wherein an appropriate decision shall be taken as regards the petitioners' request/representation for issuance of a 'Certificate of Vending', considering the documents supplied by them.

Key takeaways

The Court directed that the necessary exercise (consideration of the petitioners' documents and decision on the Certificate of Vending requests) be completed within the said three-week period.ratio¶47
Protective direction: if the exercise is not completed within the stipulated period, the respondents shall not pose any impediment to the vending activities of the petitioners; pending applications also stand disposed of.ratio¶49

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Contempt petitions (CONT.CAS(C) 313/2026 - Sonu; 314/2026 - Chander Kesh; 316/2026 - Dinesh; coram: Sachin Datta, J; decision date 23.03.2026) alleged wilful disobedience of Delhi High Court writ orders dated 01.12.2025 in W.P(C) 18126/2025 and W.P(C) 18175/2025, and dated 28.11.2025 in W.P(C) 18058/2025, which had directed respondent no.1/Delhi Cantonment Board to decide the petitioners' representations (seeking consideration for grant of a vending certificate in terms of Section 4(2) of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, and formulation of a vending plan under Section 21) within four weeks. After a Town Vending Committee meeting, communications dated 29.01.2026 were issued to the petitioners, who responded with a communication to the CEO, Delhi Cantonment Board enclosing three challans issued prior to 27.12.2023. Counsel for the respondents stated that another TVC meeting would be convened within three weeks to consider the documents and take an appropriate decision on issuance of the 'Certificate of Vending'; the statement was taken on record. The petitions and pending applications were disposed of, with a protective direction that, if the exercise was not completed within the stipulated period, the respondents would not pose any impediment to the petitioners' vending activities. No contempt was adjudicated and no sanction imposed; no precedent was cited.

$~2 to 4

IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI

CONT.CAS(C) 313/2026 and CM APPL.18003/2026 (2) SONU .....Petitioner

versus

ROBIN BALEJA, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (CEO), DELHI CANTONMENT BOARD AND ANR. .....Respondents

CONT.CAS(C) 314/2026 and CM APPL.18004/2026 (3) CHANDER KESH .....Petitioner

versus

ROBIN BALEJA, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (CEO), DELHI CANTONMENT BOARD AND ANR. .....Respondents + CONT.CAS(C) 316/2026 and CM APPL.18002/2026 (4) DINESH .....Petitioner

versus

ROBIN BALEJA, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (CEO), DELHI CANTONMENT BOARD AND ANR. .....Respondents

Presence : Mr. Sanjay Baniwal, Ms. Manisha and Mr. R. K. Seewal, Advocates for Petitioner in Item Nos.2 to 4.

Mr. Ankur Mishra, Advocate for Respondent (through VC) in Item Nos.2 to 4.

Mr. Ravindra Vikram Singh, Sr. Panel Counsel along with Mr. V. K. Singh, Mr. Ankit Prasad and Mr. Kunal Pal, Advocates for R-2 in Item No.3.

Mr. Niraj Kumar, SPC along with Mr. Kushagra Sachdeva, GP for R-2 in Item No.4.

Ms. Shagun Shahi Chugh, SPC along with Mr. Kushagra Sachdeva, GP for R-2 in Item Nos.3 and 4.

CORAM:

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SACHIN DATTA

This is a digitally signed order.

The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 27/03/2026 at 11:34:17

O R D E R % 23.03.2026

The present petitions have been filed by the petitioners alleging wilful disobedience of directions contained in orders dated 01.12.2025 passed in W.P(C) 18126/2025 [in CONT.CAS(C) 313/2026] and W.P(C)18175/2025 [in CONT.CAS(C) 314/2026] and also order dated 28.11.2025 passed in W.P(C) 18058/2025 [in CONT.CAS(C) 316/2026]. The directions contained in the aforesaid orders are identical in nature.

The order dated 01.12.2025 passed in W.P.(C) No.18126/2025 reads as under:-

“1. The present writ petition has been filed seeking following prayers:-

I. Pass an order directing the respondents to consider grant of vending certificate to the petitioner in terms of section 4 (2) of THE STREET VENDORS (PROTECTION OF LIVELIHOOD AND REGULATION OF STREET VENDING) ACT, 2014 and as has requested by the petitioner vide his representation dated 26.05.2025 and 11.11.2025 at ANNEXURE P-6 and P-7 (Of the present petition)

II. Pass an order directing the respondents more especially the officials and agents of Delhi Police to honour the resolution of the Town Vending Committee dated 04.09.2023 at ANNEXURE P-1 and thereby restrain them from causing any obstruction in the peaceful vending activity of the petitioner.

III. Pass an order directing the respondent Delhi Cantonment board to formulate vending Plan in terms of section 21 of the THE STREET VENDORS PROTECTION OF LIVELIHOOD AND REGULATION OF STREET VENDING) ACT, 2014.

IV. For an directing the respondents to ensure that the petitioner be allowed to peacefully vend at his designated vending site i.e., at open space beyond the

This is a digitally signed order.

The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 27/03/2026 at 11:34:17

footpath, near pillar no. 65, Ridge Road, Near Army Public School, Rij Road, Dhaula Kuan, New Delhi, Delhi Cantonment, Nangal Raya, Delhi Cantonment, New Delhi, Delhi - 110021, till the time petitioner is not duly surveyed and issued with the vending certificate in accordance with section 4 (2) read with section 3 (3) of the Act be granted to him.

V. Pass an order directing the respondents to consider and decide the representation dated 26.05.2025 and 11.11.2025 made by the petitioner herein and annexed with the present petition as ANNEXURE P-6 & ANNEXURE P7

VI. Pass any such directions or order that this Hon’ble Court deems fit and proper in the facts and circumstances of the above-mentioned case.”

2. Representation dated 11th November 2025 addressed to respondent no.1/Delhi Cantonment Board is pending for consideration.

3. Petitioner, for the purpose of substantiating the claim of carrying out vending activity has sought to draw support of challan issued by Delhi Cantonment Board.

4. In this background, it is open for respondent no.1 to decide the said representation within a period of four weeks from today.

5. Counsel for respondent no.1 has opposed the prayer on the ground that the survey has already been completed and petitioner has only recently started vending activity, as could be inferred from the challans sought to be relied upon.

6. Accordingly, the present writ petition stands disposed of.

7. Pending applications are also rendered infructuous.”

It transpires that in the aftermath of the aforesaid order, a meeting of the Town Vending Committee (TVC) was held pursuant to which, similar communications came to be issued to the petitioners in these matters. The communication dated 29.01.2026 issued to the petitioner in CONT.CAS(C) 313/2026 is as under:-

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The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 27/03/2026 at 11:34:17

Pursuant thereto, the petitioners are stated to have addressed another communication to the Chief Executive Officer, Delhi Cantonment Board responding to the aforesaid communication, including three challans issued to them prior to 27.12.2023. The matter is, thereafter, stated to be under consideration of the concerned Authority.

Learned counsel for the respondents submits that to consider the documents supplied by the petitioners, another meeting of TVC shall be convened within a period of three weeks from today, wherein, appropriate

This is a digitally signed order.

The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 27/03/2026 at 11:34:17

decision shall be taken as regards the request/ representation of the petitioners for issuance of a ‘Certificate of Vending’. The said statement is taken on record.

Let the necessary exercise be completed within the aforesaid period.

The petition is disposed of in the above terms.

If the exercise is not completed within the aforesaid period, the respondents shall not pose any impediment to the vending activities of the petitioners. Pending applications also stand disposed of.

SACHIN DATTA, J

MARCH 23, 2026/r

This is a digitally signed order.

The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 27/03/2026 at 11:34:17