Supreme Court Permits Certified Green Crackers in Delhi-NCR on November 7 and 8, Restores Ban on November 9

Temporary relaxation with exact permitted hours

The Supreme Court of India has allowed a tightly controlled, two-day exception to the firecracker prohibition operating in Delhi and the National Capital Region. Its reportable order in Arjun Gopal and Others v Union of India and Others permits bursting of approved green firecrackers on November 7 and November 8, 2026, only between 6:00 am and 7:00 am and between 8:00 pm and 10:00 pm on each day. The complete ban resumes on November 9. The distinction between the two daily windows is important for both residents and enforcement authorities.

The Bench of Justices M M Sundresh and P B Varale also permitted temporary restoration of cancelled trader licences between November 4 and 6, solely for sales of eligible certified products. The order does not authorise conventional firecrackers, online sales, or unrestricted celebrations. It regulates manufacture, distribution and use through specific safety and monitoring conditions.

Why the Court modified the existing prohibition

The Court reviewed earlier proceedings extending back to the 2018 decision in Arjun Gopal, the later air-pollution litigation in M C Mehta and the trial relaxation permitted in 2025. It observed that earlier directions had not been implemented effectively. Authorities had not placed adequate monitoring material before the Court to establish the effects of the previous trial relaxation or the full ban.

The judges were particularly concerned that conventional firecrackers were still entering the market under green labels. The order reasoned that ineffective enforcement of a blanket prohibition could facilitate illegal products while preventing access to genuine, tested alternatives. That assessment explains the decision to adopt a short, monitored relaxation rather than abandon pollution controls. The Court expressly treated air pollution, health consequences and vulnerable groups as central concerns.

Manufacturers, sellers and prohibited areas

Only manufacturers with the relevant CSIR-NEERI and PESO certifications may produce approved green crackers during the limited permitted manufacturing period. Products must be in sealed boxes bearing product-specific, batch-specific QR codes that identify registration, licensing, formulation and testing information. The Court prohibited barium-containing products, unapproved crackers, and joined crackers such as ladis or garlands.

Sales must occur at designated locations identified by district authorities in consultation with police. Online transactions are prohibited. Traders and manufacturers must provide monetary security, to be forfeited on violations. Police teams must check sales points, verify product codes, prevent the entry of illegal products into Delhi-NCR, confiscate prohibited stock and initiate appropriate prosecutions.

The Court also required no-cracker zones within 300 metres of hospitals, nursing homes, health centres, old-age homes and notified silence zones, with the same protection extended to educational institutions. The zones must be identified and publicised, rather than left to informal enforcement.

Air-quality monitoring and future accountability

The Central Pollution Control Board and State Pollution Control Boards must prepare daily air-quality reports covering November 2 to 6, November 7 and 8, and November 9 to 30. They must collect sand and water samples for comparative analysis and repair non-functioning monitoring stations. The Court also directed post-festival waste management and public awareness measures, including communications through educational institutions and the Delhi Metro.

Authorities must file affidavits explaining security deposits, designated sales sites, inspections, enforcement and prosecutions. They must also report the extent of additional hospital admissions following the festival. The deadline for these reports is December 14, and the Court has warned that non-compliance may invite contempt proceedings. The matter is listed for further compliance review on December 16.

Legal significance

The order illustrates judicial supervision of environmental regulation where the Court regards enforcement evidence as inadequate. It does not pronounce that all firecrackers are environmentally safe. Instead, it permits a narrowly confined experiment while requiring measured outcomes and accountability from authorities. The operative directions, rather than broad public summaries, determine what is lawful during the festival.

For examination purposes, the central distinction is between the temporary exception for certified green products and the underlying year-round prohibition, which resumes on November 9. The primary judicial order controls the precise bursting hours: 6:00–7:00 am and 8:00–10:00 pm on both permitted days.