New Delhi [India], November 2 : The Supreme Court has permitted the manufacture, sale and bursting of certified green firecrackers in Delhi-NCR for a limited period ahead of Diwali, while directing that the complete ban on firecrackers be restored from November 9, 2026.
A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and Prasanna B Varale allowed the sale of approved green crackers from November 4 to 6 and their bursting between 6 am and 7 am and 8 pm and 10 pm on November 7 and 8.
No firecrackers will be permitted within 300 metres of hospitals, healthcare centres, old-age homes, educational institutions and notified silence zones, which will be marked as ‘No-Cracker Zones’, ordered the top court.
The relaxation is subject to stringent safeguards to ensure that conventional and unauthorised firecrackers do not enter the market under the guise of green crackers.
The apex court said manufacturers must possess valid CSIR-NEERI certification and PESO licences and can manufacture only those green crackers uploaded on the CSIR-NEERI website between November 2 and 6. 
Each box must be sealed and carry a product- and batch-specific QR code disclosing details of the manufacturer, NEERI registration, PESO/DM licence, formulation and test certificate, it said further.
The manufacture and sale of firecrackers joined in series, commonly known as 'ladis', and crackers containing barium or not approved by CSIR-NEERI have been prohibited by the top court.
QR codes must be non-transferable, with their sale inviting cancellation of the manufacturer's registration or licence, it added.
The bench also directed authorities to impose substantial monetary security on manufacturers and traders, which will be forfeited if they violate the court's directions or applicable regulations.
Traders whose licences had earlier been cancelled have been allowed to operate temporarily from November 4 to 6 to sell approved green crackers. Their licences will be cancelled immediately if they violate the conditions.
The apex court directed district administrations to designate specific locations for sale of green crackers, prohibiting sales elsewhere, including through online platforms. Police teams must inspect designated markets, verify QR codes, confiscate illegal firecrackers and initiate prosecutions against violators, the order stated.
The top court further ordered that vehicles entering Delhi-NCR must also be checked to prevent the transportation of conventional and illegal crackers.
Emphasising that the exercise should go beyond regulating firecracker use during the upcoming festival, the bench called for a broader change in public attitudes towards pollution.
"Regardless of the directions passed by this Court to regulate the upcoming situation, the endeavour is to bring about a holistic change for which the public perception has to change," it observed.
The apex court directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), in consultation with State Pollution Control Boards, to prepare daily air quality reports for November 2-6 (pre-Diwali), November 7-8 (Diwali) and November 9-30 (post-Diwali). Sand and water samples must also be collected for comparative analysis, it ordered.
AQI monitoring stations alleged to be non-functional must be inspected and any defects rectified immediately. Authorities have also been directed to undertake post-festival cleaning and solid waste disposal, particularly in highly polluted areas.
The bench asked State authorities, including the Delhi government, to publish the Winter Action Plan 2026, Air Pollution Mitigation Plan 2026 and CAQM Annual Action Plan in leading newspapers and news channels.
Education departments across NCR have been directed to sensitise schoolchildren about pollution, while the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has been asked to broadcast awareness messages on the harmful effects of firecrackers.
The apex court has also directed Delhi-NCR authorities to file affidavits detailing the monetary security imposed on manufacturers and traders, designated sale locations, enforcement measures and prosecutions against violators. They must also submit AQI reports and details of the increase in patient admissions at hospitals and health centres following Diwali, up to November 30.
The compliance affidavits and reports must be filed by December 14. Warning of contempt action against officials for non-compliance, the bench listed the matter for further hearing on December 16, 2026.