Diwali In Delhi-NCR: SC allows green crackers on November 7 and 8

The Supreme Court has allowed Delhi-NCR residents to burst green firecrackers for two days, November 7 and 8, 2026, but has imposed strict restrictions on when and where they can be used.A bench of justices MM Sundresh and PB Varale said it was opting for a regulated approach rather than a blanket prohibition, noting that the earlier complete ban had neither significantly improved air quality nor prevented the illegal sale and use of conventional firecrackers. It also pointed out that restrictions had repeatedly been violated, with conventional crackers being sold under the guise of green firecrackers.
The court said that while firecrackers undoubtedly contributed to pollution, measures taken by authorities, either following judicial directions or on their own, had failed to achieve the desired results. It stressed that the problem lay in implementation and called for better coordination among stakeholders and sustained monitoring beyond the festive season. “We are inclined to regulate the manufacture, storage, sale and bursting of green firecrackers, instead of maintaining the complete ban on the same, for a temporary period,” it said.
The bench acknowledged Diwali's religious, social, psychological and emotional significance, describing it as a festival that had acquired a national and international character over centuries. Tracing the use of firecrackers in India to the introduction of gunpowder, it noted that ancient Hindu scriptures, including the Skandapurana and Padmapurana, referred to the use of lamps as a ritual associated with the festival.