A report published by Sakal-Pune says the Supreme Court permitted the use of certified green firecrackers in Delhi during specified hours, while imposing restrictions around hospitals, educational institutions and other sensitive locations. However, the report’s timing requires verification because its summary refers to Diwali 2023 even though the article was published on November 2, 2026 and describes the directions as current.
According to the report, firecrackers would be permitted only from 6 am to 7 am and from 8 pm to 10 pm on November 7 and 8. Use outside these time windows would remain prohibited. The directions were attributed to a bench comprising Justices M. M. Sundresh and Prasanna Varale, which reportedly said the permission was intended to balance festival celebrations with air-pollution concerns.
The report says firecrackers would be prohibited within 300 metres of pollution-control-board-notified silence zones, hospitals, nursing homes, primary and district health centres, and old-age homes. Sensitive locations and educational institutions were to be declared firecracker-free areas. Authorities were also directed to install suitable barricades, notify the restricted areas and publicise the rules.
The reported restrictions extend to the type and sale of firecrackers. Barium-containing firecrackers, uncertified products and firecracker strings or garlands would remain prohibited. Green firecrackers would have to carry individual QR codes and certification from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute and the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation, according to the report.
The report also says that sales would be limited to administration-designated shops and locations, with online and e-commerce sales prohibited. Retailers would be required to sell the products in fully sealed boxes and display information about product identification, the sale date and permitted usage hours.
Police and administrative teams were reportedly directed to inspect shops and sales centres, while authorities were asked to prevent the distribution of illegal firecrackers across the Delhi National Capital Region and conduct vehicle checks. Manufacturers and traders would have to deposit security amounts with the administration, which could be forfeited if rules were violated. The report further says that licences cancelled earlier would be temporarily restored for the period from November 4 to 6.
The account presents these measures as a framework for managing Delhi’s recurring conflict between festival activity and hazardous winter air pollution. But the supplied material does not include the Supreme Court order, an official notification or a current Delhi administration notice. It also does not explain whether the dates and directions relate to Diwali 2023 or to the 2026 festival period. The applicability, dates and enforcement status therefore require confirmation from the court or relevant authorities before the rules are treated as current.
