Dr. Mukundakam Sharma, J. - (1.) By this common order we propose to dispose of various applications filed by the parties hereto including the one which has been filed by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (in short the MCD).
(2.) Delhi being the capital of India has many peculiar problems. One of the problems is naturally its population which has increased manifold obviously due to influx of people from various regions and States looking for new openings and avocations. Space availablity in Delhi is very limited and within that limited space available at its disposal the municipalities namely the MCD and the New Delhi Municipal Corporation (in short the NDMC) have to manage all their activities including functioning of the markets at different places.
(3.) Limited space available for effective functioning of markets including accommodation available for the squatters and hawkers to carry on their small business has been receiving attention of this Court for quite a long time. In that regard, several orders have been passed by this Court from time to time. Pursuant to such orders of this Court the MCD as well as the NDMC have framed Schemes for running of the business by the squatters/hawkers. In response to the Schemes, nearly 85,000 people applied for allotment of spaces within the MCD area and about 10,000 people applied for such allotment within the NDMC area seeking settlement of the tehbazari rights under the Schemes as formulated by the MCD and the NDMC. Due to want of space only about three thousand of such applicants out of the aforesaid applications received could be allotted spaces by the concerned authorities.;