Traders in Kozhikode announce protest against unauthorized street vending

Loyalist traders of the Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samiti (KVVES) in Kozhikode have announced a protest against the increasing presence of unauthorized street vendors in areas outside the local self-governing institutions.

The district committee of the trade association will march to the Kozhikode corporation office on October 6, 2026 at 10 am, followed by a dharna, demanding action against unauthorized street vending.

The protest is organized as part of a call issued by the State Committee. The organization warned that the agitation would spread to other municipal corporations and gram panchayats if its demands were not addressed.

KVVES officials say that the expansion of these selling activities on the streets and in front of business establishments poses a serious challenge to small traders who run their businesses legally and fulfill various legal obligations.

According to them, traders are required to bear expenses such as shop rent, license fees, GST and professional tax, while unauthorized sellers operate in the same areas without any similar obligations. The growing presence of vendors in front of shops has already affected business and in some cases left traders facing the prospect of closing their premises, they claim.

The Traders Authority requires street vending to be restricted to areas designated by local government bodies in accordance with the Street Vendors Act. It also calls for the immediate removal of unauthorized vendors operating outside the designated areas.

Merchants under KVVES have also expressed their opposition to the proposal to introduce a discount rate for merchants on UPI transactions above ₹2,000. As part of the protest, merchants will boycott UPI payments on 15 October 2026 and stage a march and dharna to Lok Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram on the same day.

Published – 04 Oct 2026 20:24 IST