The Supreme Court has permitted the sale of green firecrackers in the Delhi-NCR region from October 18 to 20, 2025, and allowed their use for two days, thereby relaxing the blanket ban earlier imposed by the Delhi Government and extended across the NCR.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran observed that when the earlier ban was imposed, there was no significant difference in air quality, except during the COVID-19 lockdown period. The Court noted that the concept of green crackers was introduced following the judgment in Arjun Gopal v. Union of India, (2017) 1 SCC 412, and that emissions had substantially reduced over the past six years, with contributions from NEERI.
As a temporary measure, the Court directed that:
• The sale of green firecrackers shall be permitted only from October 18 to October 20, and only in designated areas identified by District Collectors/Commissioners in consultation with police.
• Patrol teams shall conduct regular checks on manufacturers, and QR codes of all approved green crackers must be uploaded on an official website for verification.
• Random samples to be collected and sent to PESO for testing; violations to attract penalties and licence cancellation.
• Sale permitted only through licensed traders of NEERI-registered and PESO-licensed manufacturers.
• Bursting of firecrackers shall be confined between 6:00 AM to 7:00 AM and 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM on the two days i.e., the one before and on the Diwali day.
• No firecrackers shall be brought into NCR from outside the region, and if fake or non-compliant crackers are found, the manufacturer’s licence will be suspended.
• Joined or series firecrackers (laris) cannot be manufactured or sold.
• No e-commerce sale or purchase of firecrackers; online supplies to be seized.
• Trader licences cancelled or expired after the earlier ban to be renewed for the permitted period.
• The CPCB and State Pollution Control Boards shall monitor air and water quality from 14 October to 25 October 2025, and submit a daily AQI report to the Court.
• Soil and water samples to be collected from areas with high cracker use for pollution analysis.
The Bench emphasised that this relaxation would apply only on a test basis for the upcoming Diwali, and further directions may be issued based on the environmental monitoring reports.
The order to be forwarded to all District Collectors in NCR for strict implementation. The case will be listed after three weeks for further directions.
Appearances
Mr. K. Parameshwar, Senior Advocate- for the firecracker manufacturers’ association/ industry.
Mr. Tushar Mehta, Solicitor General of India and Ms. Aishwarya Bhati, Additional Solicitor General- For the Union of India and the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM).
Mr. Aditya Sondhi, Senior Advocate- For the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD).
Ms. Uttara Babar- Amicus Curiae.
