1 hour ago
The Supreme Court has once again allowed the use of certified green firecrackers in Delhi-NCR for a limited period around Diwali, temporarily relaxing a year-round ban on their manufacture, sale and use. The latest order permits people to burst approved green crackers on November 7 and 8, between 6 am and 7 am and 8 pm and 10 pm. A complete ban will return from November 9.
Over the years, the top court has moved from regulating noise levels and bursting hours to suspending sales, allowing reduced-emission alternatives and, more recently, imposing a complete ban in Delhi-NCR before permitting limited use of certified green crackers.
But when did restrictions on firecrackers first begin in India? Here’s how the Supreme Court's position has changed over the years.
When did India first restrict firecrackers?
The first major nationwide regulatory intervention came in 1999, when the Centre introduced noise standards for firecrackers under the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986.
A notification issued on October 5, 1999, prohibited the manufacture, sale or use of firecrackers generating noise exceeding 125 decibels or 145 decibels at a distance of four metres from the point of bursting.
In October 2001, the Supreme Court directed the Centre, states and Union Territories to implement the prescribed noise limits. It also restricted the use of firecrackers to between 6 pm and 10 pm, prohibiting their use between 10 pm and 6 am. Firecrackers were also prohibited in designated silence zones.
These were restrictions on noise, timings and locations, not a blanket ban on firecrackers across India.
2016: Supreme Court suspends firecracker sales in Delhi-NCR
The first major intervention targeting the sale of firecrackers came in November 2016, in the case of Arjun Gopal v Union of India.
The Supreme Court suspended all existing licences permitting the wholesale and retail sale of fireworks in Delhi and the Capital Region (NCR). It also directed that no fresh licences be issued or existing ones renewed until further orders.
The intervention followed a severe deterioration in Delhi's air quality after Diwali that year. The court considered suspending the supply of fireworks a more practical way to address the problem than attempting to monitor individual consumers bursting crackers.
The court also asked the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to examine the harmful materials used in fireworks.
2017: Court relaxes the sales suspension, then restores it for Diwali
In September 2017, the Supreme Court modified its earlier order and lifted the suspension of permanent licences temporarily, allowing existing traders to sell fireworks subject to restrictions.
The bench favoured a graded approach, noting that a complete ban on sales could be too drastic and that the contribution of firecrackers to the region's overall air pollution needed to be assessed.
However, in October 2017, the court restored the suspension for the Diwali period, allowing the restriction to be tested for its impact on air quality.
The court said it wanted to examine whether preventing the sale of fireworks would produce a positive environmental outcome.
2018: Green crackers enter the picture
A landmark judgment came on October 23, 2018, when the Supreme Court permitted the manufacture and sale of reduced-emission and green crackers while prohibiting other conventional fireworks.
The ruling in Arjun Gopal v Union of India introduced several restrictions:
Only improved, reduced-emission crackers and green crackers meeting prescribed standards could be manufactured and sold.Joined firecrackers, commonly known as laris, were prohibited.Firecrackers containing barium salts were banned.Sales were restricted to licensed traders.Ecommerce platforms were prohibited from accepting online orders or making online sales of firecrackers.Bursting was permitted between 8 pm and 10 pm on Diwali and other festivals.On Christmas and New Year's Eve, the permitted window was 11.55 pm to 12.30 am.The court also encouraged community firecracker displays at designated places.
2021–23: Court reiterates that there is no blanket nationwide ban
In October 2021, the Supreme Court rejected a plea seeking a complete ban on the manufacture, sale, purchase and use of firecrackers across India.
It clarified that there was no general prohibition on all fireworks, but crackers containing banned chemicals or failing to meet prescribed standards could not be sold or used.
In November 2023, the court reiterated that the prohibition on barium-based firecrackers applied throughout the country.
2024–25: Delhi-NCR moves to a complete ban
In October 2024, the Delhi government prohibited the manufacture, storage, sale and use of all types of firecrackers, including green crackers.
In December 2024, the Supreme Court extended the prohibition to the entire NCR, asking Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to impose similar restrictions.
The ban continued into 2025. The court initially declined to relax it merely to permit green crackers, seeking scientific evidence about their environmental impact.
However, on October 15, 2025, the Supreme Court permitted the sale and use of certified green crackers in Delhi-NCR for a limited period around Diwali. It allowed their sale between October 18 and 20, with bursting permitted during specified morning and evening hours.
The relaxation was temporary and subject to conditions, including designated sales points, QR-code verification and police monitoring.
2026: Supreme Court allows another temporary relaxation
In its October 29, 2026 order, the Supreme Court again permitted the regulated manufacture, sale and use of certified green crackers in Delhi-NCR for a limited period.
The court allowed manufacturers with valid certifications from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research- Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI) and the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) to manufacture approved green crackers between November 2 and 6.
Traders whose licences had been cancelled have been permitted to sell approved products between November 4 and 6.
The use of crackers has been permitted on November 7 and 8, between 6 am and 7 am and 8 pm and 10 pm.
The court has prohibited crackers containing barium, conventional fireworks not approved as green crackers, and joined firecrackers such as laris and garlands. Online sales are also prohibited.
It has additionally declared a 300-metre radius around hospitals, nursing homes, health centres, old-age homes, educational institutions and notified silence zones as no-cracker zones.
The complete ban is to return from November 9.
