Supreme Court Lights Up Delhi-NCR with Green Signal for Diwali Firecrackers

In a significant policy reversal, the Supreme Court on Friday permitted the sale and bursting of firecrackers in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) for five days during Diwali, marking the first festive season in years when fireworks will be legally allowed. The decision comes months after another bench led by Justice Abhay S. Oka reaffirmed the region’s blanket ban on firecrackers in April.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Bhushan R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran said the relaxation would apply “on a trial basis” and within fixed time limits. The move follows a proposal by the Union government, represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, to allow only “green firecrackers” approved by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI).

“For the time being, we will allow it during the five days of Diwali on a trial basis… However, we will confine it to certain time limits,” the CJI-led bench stated, while reserving its final order.

The Centre outlined an enforcement plan allowing sales only through licensed traders and banning online platforms such as Flipkart and Amazon from selling firecrackers in Delhi-NCR. Traditional crackers will remain prohibited. The plan proposes time windows of 8 pm to 10 pm on Diwali, 11:55 pm to 12:30 am on New Year’s Eve, and one-hour slots on Gurpurab mornings and evenings.

Solicitor General Mehta urged the court to slightly relax Diwali hours, arguing, “It is a matter of a few days. Let children celebrate Diwali with fervour.”

However, environmental experts and the court’s amicus curiae raised strong objections, warning that even green firecrackers can cause severe pollution spikes. Sunil Dahiya, founder of think tank Envirocatalysts, said the move could “set back by 10 years the fight against air pollution in Delhi.”

Amicus curiae Uttara Babbar questioned the government’s enforcement capacity, noting that the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) lacks testing facilities in Delhi. Experts also pointed out that distinguishing green firecrackers from traditional ones remains practically impossible, making real-world implementation highly challenging.

Air quality data from past Diwalis shows pollution levels soaring regardless of bans. Last year, monitoring stations recorded PM2.5 levels over 1,500 µg/m³ at midnight in several parts of Delhi—more than 100 times the WHO’s safe limit.

The Centre’s plan includes mandatory QR codes on approved products, detailed production and sales tracking, surprise inspections, and awareness campaigns through apps like Sameer and Green Delhi. NEERI and PESO will maintain updated lists of certified manufacturers and continue developing cleaner alternatives.

The decision highlights the court’s attempt to balance cultural celebration with environmental responsibility, though experts caution that the impact could reverse years of efforts to improve Delhi’s deteriorating air quality.