The Supreme Court on Monday, 12 October 2026, called for a practical approach to regulating firecrackers in Delhi-NCR and said it was not inclined to impose a blanket ban, Hindustan Times reported.
Quick Facts
| Bench | CJI Surya Kant, Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana |
| Case | Suo motu proceedings on air pollution in Delhi-NCR |
| Other issues covered | Crop residue burning, solid waste management |
| Court’s position | No blanket ban; voluntary, time-limited celebrations |
What the Bench Said
The court said efforts to tackle air pollution must account for public health without hurting religious sentiments. “We will not hurt religious sentiments, but at the same time, people should themselves come forward and opt for it,” the bench said, according to Bar and Bench. It said public awareness and cooperation would work better than a ban.
Justice Bagchi asked: “What is religious about bursting of crackers?” The CJI assured that religious sentiments would not be hurt, but urged voluntary adoption of safer practices.
The Chief Justice’s Caution
CJI Kant said the court must be “extremely careful in passing an order unless we are in a position to make it manageable and enforceable”. Restrictive orders, he said, are taken as coercive action. He proposed an appeal to people to celebrate as they wish but “restrict their celebrations to particular hours, as was done last time”.
What the Amicus Said
The amicus curiae highlighted the health risks of air pollution, especially for the elderly, children and the infirm. But he told the court that rules such as limiting crackers to one or two hours “will not be implemented”, as it is “impossible for police officers to be in every street all the time”. He suggested the issue be referred to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), the statutory body for the region.
What Happens Next
The hearing was part of the court’s wider look at Delhi-NCR’s air pollution. Hindustan Times did not report a final order on firecrackers.
Featured image: A firecracker shop before Diwali, October 2019 (file photo). Photo by Ganesh Dhamodkar, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.