Traders protest against draft Model Tenancy Bill

NEW DELHI: Thousands of traders, who operate from shops they had rented under the pagdi system decades ago, staged a protest against the draft Model Tenancy Bill, 2015, on Thursday.

The protesters claimed the new bill is one sided and will force them to shut shop.They cited examples of states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, West Bengal, etc where the pagdi system is still followed.

Traders' associations are planning to intensify their protest. Once passed by Parliament, the Act will be immediately implemented in Delhi as the land is under the Centre.

"Close to 5 lakh traders in 50-plus markets will get affected. Our families had paid huge sums as pagdi decades ago," said Rambhakt Aggarwal, spokesperson and legal advisor of Rajdhani Pagdi Kirayedar Sangathan (RPKS).

Traders in Chandni Chowk, Nai Sarak, Lajpat Nagar, Gandhi Nagar, Karol Bagh, Turkman Gate, Dariba, Fatehpuri, etc will be the worst affected with the new law. After the Act is implemented, landlords and tenants will have to prepare a written agreement as per the former's terms and conditions and register it.

"Tenants can be evicted within 14 months if the agreement is not registered. It will have a serious impact on business in Delhi," said Vinay Bahl, spokesperson of Dilli Rajya Vyapar Sangathan.

The traders are upset as the central government is not pushing for a uniform implementation of the law. "In Gujarat, the pagdi system still exists.Many pay a paltry rent of Rs 10-20 as they had paid a huge sum as pagdi. The rights of old tenants have even been protected worldwide," said Paramjeet Kaur, secretary of Dilli Rajya Vyapar Sangathan, who has a shop in Connaught Place.