The Supreme Court on Wednesday permitted the sale and bursting of green crackers in the Delhi-NCR region during Diwali, granting temporary relief to sellers and citizens ahead of the festive season. A bench comprising Chief Justice B. R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran accepted the joint request of the Central and Delhi governments to partially relax the existing ban. The court stated that the order was a temporary measure and allowed bursting of green crackers between October 18 and 21, with strict monitoring by the Central and state pollution control boards.
Chief Justice Gavai emphasized the need for a balanced approach, allowing limited celebrations without compromising environmental concerns. He noted that illegal smuggling of conventional crackers into Delhi-NCR had caused greater harm in previous years and warned that such activities would not be tolerated. The court directed that all cracker manufacturers must ensure QR codes on their products, which will be uploaded to official websites for verification, and that patrolling teams should conduct regular inspections to prevent violations.
The top court further ruled that no crackers brought from outside the Delhi-NCR region can be sold locally, and licences of sellers found violating the order will be immediately suspended. The detailed judgment is awaited, but the interim decision has been welcomed by green cracker manufacturers and festive retailers. Earlier, on October 10, the Supreme Court had reserved its verdict on petitions seeking limited permission for green crackers during major festivals such as Diwali, Guru Purab, and Christmas.
