NO CRACKERS FOR DIWALI IN DELHI: SC

Taking a serious note of the deteriorating air quality in the National Capital Region, the Supreme Court on Monday slapped a ban on the sale of crackers for this Diwali and asked the government to suspend all temporary licences granted for sale of crackers.

A three-judge bench of Justices A.K. Sikri, A.M. Sapre and Ashok Bhushan restored the ban imposed on November 11, 2016 after Diwali last year.

Following petitions from manufacturers and selling agents, the court lifted the ban on September 12 and allowed sale of crackers for this year. The ban has now been restored.

The court suspended all such licenses as permit sale of fireworks, wholesale and retail within the territory of NCR. “The suspension will remain in force till further orders. No such licenses will be granted or renewed till further orders,” it said.

The Bench said that the September 12 order temporarily lifting the stay and permitting sale of firecrackers would be effective from November 1 and only licensed shops will be allowed to do business.

Diwali is on October 19 and the order effectively means that no firecrackers will be available for purchase before the festival.

Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, who effectively argued for restoring the ban said the ban on sale would include even online sale. This would mean that nobody would get crackers online.