Shillong, Aug. 2 -- Street vendors, under the banner of the Meghalaya Greater Shillong Progressive Hawkers Association (MGSPHA), held a surprise sit-in protest at the office of the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) on Friday, demanding immediate action on the long-pending issuance of Certificates of Vending (CoVs) to eligible hawkers.

The association expressed strong dissatisfaction over the delay, stating that many vendors have been left without a means of livelihood for several weeks, with no official communication from authorities regarding their CoV applications.

Protesters also objected to the recently designated vending zones at the MUDA Parking Lot and the area opposite the SBI Main Branch, calling them cramped, inadequate, and unsu...