Delhi green crackers can be sold only on November 4, 5 and 6, while their use will be limited to specified hours on November 7 and 8, according to restrictions outlined by Delhi Police after the Supreme Court’s reported order on Diwali fireworks in Delhi-NCR.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Niharika Bhatt said only certified green crackers would be permitted. She said buyers should check that the packaging carries a QR code through which the product’s certification and batch number can be verified.
According to the police guidance, green crackers may be used only from 6 am to 7 am and from 8 pm to 10 pm on November 7 and 8. The restrictions therefore cover both the retail window and the hours during which the crackers may be used, rather than allowing sales or bursting throughout the festival period.
The reported Supreme Court decision recognised Diwali’s social, emotional and religious significance while permitting green crackers subject to conditions. The restrictions are intended to define what may be sold, when it may be sold and when it may be used in the capital region, where fireworks have long been linked to concerns over air quality.
The certification requirement places the QR code and batch details at the centre of enforcement. Police said consumers should use the information on the packet to check whether a product has been certified as a green cracker. The supplied report does not provide details of the certification authority, the number of authorised sellers or the mechanism through which buyers can verify the QR information beyond the packaging.
The narrow sales window also creates an enforcement challenge for Delhi’s retail network. Sellers will have three days to bring permitted products into the market and distribute them to consumers, while enforcement agencies will have to distinguish certified green crackers from ordinary fireworks during inspections and sales checks.
Aam Aadmi Party Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj questioned whether the restrictions could be implemented effectively. Speaking to news agency PTI, he alleged that ordinary, more polluting crackers could be sold under green-cracker labels, as he claimed had happened in the previous year. He also questioned whether police personnel would be able to identify compliant products by sight.
Bharadwaj further alleged that the short sales period could make it difficult for manufacturers and distributors to supply genuine green crackers unless stock had been prepared in advance. These allegations were not independently established in the supplied report, and the report does not include a response from the Delhi government, the Centre, manufacturers or authorised retailers.
For residents, the immediate operational rules are limited to two dates for use, two daily time slots and three dates for sale. The next enforcement milestone will be the opening of the permitted sales period on November 4, followed by the authorised use windows on November 7 and 8. Delhi Police’s guidance also makes the QR code, certification and batch number the key checks for consumers buying green crackers.
