The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Centre to check the sale of firecrackers in Delhi. The bench noted reports that many shops sell banned items despite court orders. Justices said, "In the market every other cracker, licensed, unlicensed, QR code, or no QR code, everything is available."
The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Centre to ensure compliance with its restrictions on firecrackers after taking note of a newspaper report that different kinds of crackers were being sold in Delhi markets, news agency Press Trust of India reported.
The court has allowed green firecrackers to be burst in Delhi-National Capital Region from 6 am to 7 am and from 8 pm to 10 pm on November 7 and 8 for Diwali. The complete ban on firecrackers will be restored from November 9.
Referring to the newspaper report, a bench of Justices MM Sundresh and PB Varale asked Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati to look into the matter. "In today's report on Hindustan Times there's a photograph... they say that notwithstanding yesterday's order, now everything is available in the shops. Please look into it," the bench said.
"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," Justice Sundresh added, according to PTI.
In its October 29 order, which was made available on Monday, the court said a complete ban appeared to be the ideal solution but there was not enough data at present to decide whether it would be the best way to address pollution caused by firecrackers.
"Though imposition of a blanket ban seems to be the ideal solution, we are of the opinion that this court, at this point in time, is short of adequate data to decide whether or not a complete ban would be the best solution to solve the problem of environmental pollution, caused by bursting firecrackers," the bench said.
The Supreme Court also expressed concern over the failure to implement its earlier directions and the measures taken by the authorities to curb the bursting of firecrackers in Delhi-NCR.
It observed that firecrackers would certainly cause pollution and said an individual's right to follow a practice that may have a religious character was subject to constitutional restrictions.
The bench referred to its October 15, 2025, order permitting the sale and bursting of green firecrackers in Delhi-NCR during Diwali, subject to conditions intended to balance traditions with environmental and health concerns. The order was passed on applications filed in a case concerning the firecracker ban.
The court also prohibited fireworks within a 300-metre radius of hospitals, nursing homes, primary and district health centres, old-age homes and notified silence zones. These places will be declared "no-cracker zones", marked on the ground and publicised.
In summary, the Supreme Court has asked the Centre to enforce its directions amid reports of unrestricted firecracker sales, while allowing green firecrackers during limited hours on November 7 and 8 and restoring the complete ban from November 9.