Supreme Court Expresses Concern Over Open Sale of Banned Firecrackers

The Supreme Court has sought a probe into reports of banned firecrackers being sold in Delhi markets, despite strict regulations and the permitted sale of certified green crackers for the upcoming Diwali festive period.

Supreme Court Concerns Over Firecracker Regulations

New Delhi [India], November 3 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed concern over alleged violations of its restrictions on firecrackers in Delhi, after taking note of a newspaper report claiming that different varieties of firecrackers were openly available in markets despite the court's order. A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and Prasanna B Varale referred to a report published in a newspaper and asked Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati to look into the alleged violations. "In today's report… there is a photograph. They say that notwithstanding yesterday's order, now everything is available in the (firecracker) shops. Please look into it," Justice Sundresh told Bhati. Referring to the report's account of the availability of different varieties of firecrackers, the bench further said that licensed and unlicensed crackers, with and without QR codes, were reportedly being sold in the market.

Court Directives on Green Firecrackers

Manufacturing and Sales Standards

On November 2, the top court permitted the manufacture, sale and bursting of certified green firecrackers in Delhi-NCR for a limited period ahead of Diwali, while directing that the complete ban on firecrackers be restored from November 9, 2026. The bench allowed the sale of approved green crackers from November 4 to 6 and their bursting between 6 am and 7 am and 8 pm and 10 pm on November 7 and 8. No firecrackers will be permitted within 300 metres of hospitals, healthcare centres, old-age homes, educational institutions and notified silence zones, which will be marked as ‘No-Cracker Zones’, ordered the top court.

Stringent Safeguards and Enforcement

The relaxation is subject to stringent safeguards to ensure that conventional and unauthorised firecrackers do not enter the market under the guise of green crackers. The apex court said manufacturers must possess valid CSIR-NEERI certification and PESO licences and can manufacture only those green crackers uploaded on the CSIR-NEERI website between November 2 and 6. Each box must be sealed and carry a product- and batch-specific QR code disclosing details of the manufacturer, NEERI registration, PESO/DM licence, formulation and test certificate, it said further. The manufacture and sale of firecrackers joined in series, commonly known as 'ladis', and crackers containing barium or not approved by CSIR-NEERI have been prohibited by the top court. QR codes must be non-transferable, with their sale inviting cancellation of the manufacturer's registration or licence, it added.

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