Key Facts

The two Deepavali nights following the Supreme Court's temporary relaxation of the cracker ban saw Delhi's Air Quality Index, already 'poor' to 'very poor' in the first week of November, turn 'severe' on Diwali night, with several air sensors reporting PM2.5 exceeding 1,000. Delhi's five-day average AQI rose from approximately 350 before Diwali to 376 afterwards in 2026, compared to 298-358 in 2024 and 259-315 in 2025. CSIR-NEERI's 'green' crackers reduce emissions by only 30-45% under lab conditions; the Court acknowledged implementation challenges in policing cracker sales but has not yet laid down a final, time-bound policy for manufacture, sale and burning of crackers.

GK Context

The Supreme Court's cracker-related jurisprudence traces back to Arjun Gopal v Union of India (2018), which first restricted the sale of crackers in the Delhi-NCR region and mandated 'green crackers'. Article 21 of the Constitution guarantees the right to life, which courts have interpreted to include the right to a clean and healthy environment. The debate highlights the tension between Article 25 (freedom of religion, under which cracker-bursting during festivals is sometimes framed as cultural practice) and the state's duty to protect public health under Article 47 and Article 21.