November 2, 2026
On Monday, November 2, the Supreme Court granted Delhi NCR a restricted Diwali. The court has permitted the use of certified 'green crackers' for two days prior to Diwali with certain restrictions.
It was made clear that the complete ban will be resumed from November 9.
The Bench has fixed specific timings. The bursting of green firecrackers in Delhi-NCR is allowed on November 7 and 8 from 6 am to 7 am and from 8 pm to 10 pm.
Certain areas are also off-limits. Firecrackers cannot be burst within 300 metres of hospitals, nursing homes, primary health centres, district health centres, old age homes, and notified silence zones.
These areas, along with educational institutions, shall be treated as "No-Cracker Zones."
The court restricted the market. Firecrackers in series, commonly called "laris", firecrackers having barium, and unapproved products were banned.
The production period is very small. Certified manufacturers through CSIR-NEERI and licensed through PESO can manufacture green firecrackers from November 2 to 6.
A temporary break for traders. The court reinstated the licenses of the traders which were canceled and let them sell the approved green firecrackers from November 4 to 6.
The Bench provided a practical justification for the same. It held that it was in favor of regulating the manufacture, storage, sale, and bursting of green firecrackers rather than maintaining the total prohibition temporarily.
The judgment also touched upon the topic of the black market. It stated that traditional firecrackers continued to be sold in the black market, and sometimes they were even marketed under the false label of green crackers.
The blanket ban created the problem of black market and also prevented people from purchasing the green firecrackers.
This rationale shows a new perspective to the case. Earlier, the point that made the case was that any bursting would cause pollution to the air of Delhi.
Inspections will form part of the order. Inspections have to be conducted by police and district administration officers at sale points, and verification of QR code along with the checking of vehicles entering Delhi NCR is essential to ensure that there is no transportation of unapproved and traditional firecrackers.
The banners should be put up at the sale points to inform people about approved green firecrackers, sealed boxes, approved dates and timings for sale and complaint process.
The task is big. The Delhi NCR region includes the national capital and districts from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan.
However, this is the second consecutive year of some form of relief. The court granted green crackers for just three days in October 2025, between October 18 to 20.
It followed a tougher decision. The court in its order dated April 3, 2025, comprising the bench led by Justice A.S. Oka, refused to ease a year-long blanket ban including green crackers due to worsening levels of air pollution.
Since many years, the court has been using green crackers as a compromise way. The October 2018 order in the Arjun Gopal case did not allow a blanket ban and green firecrackers were allowed under licensees.
The air in Delhi during winters is already burdened.
This is due to the fact that the government put restrictions in effect for the winter season starting November 1. It included restrictions on construction activities as well as vehicles older than certain age. According to environmentalists, crackers worsen the already existing smog during the cold weather.
It is claimed by the advocates of the ban that green crackers cause less amount of pollution than the normal crackers.
Opponents point out the fact that 'green' does not imply pollution free. There was no comment from either side on Monday's decision in any of the reports examined.
The judiciary has walked a tightrope between heritage and air quality. The ruling is two nights, four hours each night, and crackers that have been certified and a definite end to it all by November 9.
Whether the ruling holds its ground will depend on border posts, in the markets and in the neighborhoods on Diwali day. In case of a massive influx from the black market, the exception will prove to be the death of the rule.
Lights can be celebrated with a few bits of smoke, as long as the law clears the rest.
