Street vendors under the Meghalaya Greater Shillong Progressive Hawkers Association (MGSPHA) staged a sit-in at the Shillong Municipal Board office, demanding the immediate issuance of Certificates of Vending (CoVs) and transparency in the allocation of vending spaces. The protesters condemned delays in granting CoVs and denounced the relocation of vendors to allegedly cramped and unsuitable vending zones, particularly at the MUDA Parking Lot and opposite the SBI Main Branch.

Democratic rights activist Angela Rangad emphasized the urgent need to convene the Provisional Town Vending Committee (PTVC), the only legal authority empowered to review vending applications and address grievances. Rangad criticized the Shillong Municipal Board for unilaterally handling the process and warned that bypassing the PTVC could lead to favoritism or corruption.

Vendors asserted that many eligible hawkers have been left without livelihoods for weeks, and they threatened to escalate protests unless the PTVC is urgently called into session and transparent procedures are followed. The sit-in will continue until the authorities respond to their demands and initiate due process as outlined by law.