Disposed¶43

R.Lalitha @ kALAIMOZHI v. the District Collector

Madras HC6 Jan 2026WP/50488/2025

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

street vendor; flower vending; Greater Chennai Corporation; Zonal Officer Zone-IV; District Collector Chennai; proposed eviction; alternate location; permanent super structure; umbrella shelter; Venkatakrishnan Street Old Washermenpet; representation dated 25.11.2025; Article 226 Constitution of India; writ of mandamus; disposal on recorded submissions; no costs; connected WMP closed; interim hearing 26.12.2025

What did the court decide?

On the recorded submissions that the petitioner will dismantle her permanent super structure and shelter herself with a large umbrella like the other street vendors, and that respondents 2 and 3 will not interfere with her business if she does so, the writ petition was disposed of with no costs and the connected W.M.P. was closed. ¶43

R.Lalitha @ kALAIMOZHI Vs the District Collector — Writ and Judicial Review | Madras HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

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Issue for consideration

Whether respondents 2 and 3 may evict the petitioner, a street vendor of flowers at Venkatakrishnan Street, Old Washermenpet, without giving her an alternate location for her vending business. +1 more

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Court's answer

The Court recorded the petitioner's counsel's statement that the existing permanent super structure will be dismantled and replaced by a large umbrella, as used by the other street vendors in the area.

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Ratio / Principle

The Court recorded the respondents' counsel's statement that if the petitioner dismantles the existing super structure and continues her business using an umbrella as shelter, respondents will not interfere with her business.

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Key takeaways

Recording the above submissions of both counsel, the writ petition stands disposed of; no costs were awarded and the connected miscellaneous petition was closed.ratio¶43

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Madras High Court (V. Lakshminarayanan, J.) disposed of a writ petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India by R.Lalitha @ Kalaimozhi, a street vendor of flowers and allied articles at Venkatakrishnan Street, Old Washermenpet, Chennai, whose representation dated 25.11.2025 against proposed eviction by respondents 2 and 3 (Greater Chennai Corporation officials) without an alternate location had gone unanswered. The respondents' objection was that the petitioner had put up a permanent super structure over the street blocking the Corporation's development of the rear property. On counsel's recorded statements — the petitioner undertaking to dismantle the super structure and use a large umbrella like the other vendors in the area, and the respondents undertaking not to interfere with her business if she does so — the Court disposed of the petition, ordered no costs and closed the connected miscellaneous petition. No precedent was cited or adjudicated.

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W.P.No.50488 of 2025 and W.M.P.No.56533 of 2025

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

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DATED: 06.01.2026

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CORAM:

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THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE V.LAKSHMINARAYANAN

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W.P.No.50488 of 2025 and

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W.M.P.No.56533 of 2025

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R.Lalitha @ Kalaimozhi

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.. Petitioner

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Vs.

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The District Collector, Chennai District, Singaravelar Maaligai, Chennai – 600 001.

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The Commissioner, Greater Chennai Corporation, Chennai – 600 003.

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The Zonal Officer, Zone-IV, Greater Chennai Corporation, T.H.Road, Chennai – 600 081. .. Respondents

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Prayer: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India in the nature of writ of mandamus, directing the 2^nd and 3^rd respondents

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1/7

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https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis

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W.P.No.50488 of 2025 and W.M.P.No.56533 of 2025

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herein to permit the petitioner herein to continue her street vending activities in the vending area which is situated at Venkatakrishnan Street, Old Washermenpet, Chennai – 600 021 and consequently, to direct the 2^nd and 3^rd respondent herein to allocate a similar place in a nearby area to the petitioner for her vending activities within a time frame as may be fixed by this Court in pursuance of the petitioner’s representation dated 25.11.2025.

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For Petitioner : Mr.B.Ganesha Moorthy

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For Respondents : Mr.M.Shajahan Special Government Pleader for R1 : Mr.E.C.Ramesh Standing Counsel for R2 and R3

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O R D E R

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The writ petition is filed to direct the 2^nd and 3^rd respondents to consider the petitioner’s representation dated 25.11.2025, within a stipulated period.

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The petitioner is a street vendor. She has been carrying on business of vending flowers and allied articles at Venkatakrishnan Street, Old Washermenpet, Chennai – 21.

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The grievance of the petitioner is that, the respondents 2 and 3 are proposing to evict her, without giving her an alternate location, to carry on her street vending business. Hence, she gave a representation on 2/7

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https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis

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W.P.No.50488 of 2025 and W.M.P.No.56533 of 2025

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25.11.2025 and as it remained un-answered, she came forward with this writ petition.

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When the matter came up on 26.12.2025, taking into consideration of plea made by the poor street vendor, I called upon Mr.E.C.Ramesh, to get instructions as to whether alternate location can be provided to the writ petitioner. Therefore, I listed the matter today. When I took up the matter, Mr.E.C.Ramesh, reported that it is not an intention of respondents 2 and 3 to evict the petitioner, and the reason why the respondents 2 and 3 are constrained to act against the petitioner is that, she has put up a permanent super structure over the street and that blocks the way of the Greater Chennai Corporation from developing the property, which is on the rear side of the place, where the petitioner is carrying on her business.

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Mr.B.Ganesha Moorthy, states that the petitioner will dismantle the structure that she has raised and would adopt the same means of shelter, as adopted by the other street vendors, in the said area.

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For ready understanding, the photographs are scanned and extracted hereunder:

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3/7

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https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis

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W.P.No.50488 of 2025 and W.M.P.No.56533 of 2025

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4/7

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https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis

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W.P.No.50488 of 2025 and W.M.P.No.56533 of 2025

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5/7

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https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis

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W.P.No.50488 of 2025 and W.M.P.No.56533 of 2025

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The statement of Mr.B.Ganesha Moorthy, that the existing

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super structure will be dismantled and would be replaced by a large umbrella, as used by the other street vendors, is recorded. Similarly, the statement of Mr.E.C.Ramesh, that in case, the petitioner dismantles the existing super structure and continues her business using the umbrella as shelter, in such an event, respondents will not interfere with her business is also recorded.

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