The Supreme Court on Tuesday raised concerns over the alleged open sale of conventional firecrackers in Delhi despite restrictions imposed ahead of Diwali. Taking note of a newspaper report, the Court asked the Centre to investigate how prohibited crackers were being sold in the markets. A Bench of Justices MM Sundresh and Prasanna B Varale referred to a report published in the Hindustan Times on November 3. The report highlighted the availability of different varieties of firecrackers in several Delhi markets.
“In today’s report on Hindustan Times there’s a photograph, they say that notwithstanding yesterday’s order, now everything is available in the (firecracker) shops. Please look into it,” Justice Sundresh told Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati.
‘Every Other Cracker Available’: Supreme Court Flags Violations
Justice Sundresh also pointed to the report’s findings about the sale of licensed and unlicensed firecrackers.
“They say that in the market every other cracker, licensed, unlicensed, QR code, or no QR code, everything is available. Please take a note of it,” he said. The newspaper report mentioned several markets, including Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazaar, Shastri Nagar, Sarojini Nagar and New Friends Colony, where firecrackers were allegedly being sold openly.
Vendors were reportedly displaying products labelled as green, pollution-free and zero-pollution crackers. However, conventional firecrackers were allegedly available on request. Some boxes also reportedly lacked QR codes or carried codes that redirected customers to online catalogues instead of certification details.
What Are the Supreme Court’s Diwali Firecracker Rules?
On November 2, the Supreme Court allowed the sale of certified green firecrackers in Delhi-NCR from November 4 to 6. Their use will be permitted only on November 7 and 8. The Court has restricted bursting hours to 6 AM to 7 AM and 8 PM to 10 PM on both days. A complete ban will return from November 9.
Only firecrackers certified by CSIR-NEERI and the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) can be manufactured and sold. Sales are limited to designated locations, while online sales are prohibited.
Every box must carry a product-specific QR code for certification verification. Firecracker strings, commonly known as laris, and crackers containing barium are also banned.
Court Questions Implementation of Firecracker Ban
The Supreme Court has been hearing several applications concerning firecracker restrictions in Delhi-NCR due to rising air pollution. The Court has previously observed that blanket bans failed to stop the illegal sale and use of conventional crackers. Such products were often sold under the label of green firecrackers. It has also expressed concern over authorities’ failure to properly implement its directions. The latest newspaper report has once again brought the issue of enforcement into focus.
Sudeep Singh Rawat is a Copy Editor at NewsX Digital with over five years of experience in digital journalism. He covers national and international news, with a focus on politics, crime, technology, public affairs, and trending topics. Before joining NewsX Digital, he worked with Business Standard, The Sunday Guardian, and other digital media organisations. His reporting focuses on breaking news, enterprise stories, and explainers that inform readers through accurate, balanced, and context-driven journalism.
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