Delhi-NCR residents can burst certified green firecrackers on November 7 and 8, 2026, and on those two days only. The Supreme Court order, published November 2, sets strict timings, sale dates and no-cracker zones. From November 9, the full ban returns.
Updated: November 3, 2026, 10:30 AM IST
Quick Read
- Bursting allowed: November 7 and 8 only. Timings per the order quoted by The Hindu and The Statesman: 6 AM to 7 AM and 8 PM to 10 PM on both days.
- Sale: November 4 to 6 only, at designated locations, sealed boxes with QR codes, no online sales.
- No-cracker zones: within 300 metres of hospitals, nursing homes, health centres, old-age homes, schools and notified silence zones.
Timing conflict, flagged: Deccan Herald and Scroll report different windows — 6 AM to 8 PM on November 7 and 7 AM to 10 PM on November 8. That conflicts with the 6-7 AM plus 8-10 PM window in The Hindu, The Statesman and Times Now, which quote the order text. We use the order-text window as primary, and we flag the other reports here. If you live in Delhi-NCR, check your district’s notice before November 7, because local enforcement will follow the district notice.
Only green crackers certified by CSIR-NEERI and made by manufacturers with a Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) licence are allowed. Manufacturers could upload only those products on the CSIR-NEERI website between November 2 and 6. Traders whose licences were cancelled got them back only for November 4 to 6, solely to sell approved green crackers.
How to buy safely and legally
Buy only from a designated sale location set by your District Collector or Commissioner with the police. The box must be sealed and carry a product-specific QR code. Banners at sale points must show identification rules, sealed-box rules, allowed dates and timings, and complaint steps. Do not buy online: online sales are banned in the order.
Do not burst near a hospital, school or old-age home, even if you are outside the 300-metre line by a few steps. The zone is marked on the ground and published, per the order. If you are unsure, do not light there.
The court called Diwali fireworks a “religious practice” that, if unregulated, harms the environment and public health, especially children, the elderly and disabled people. It asked the Central Pollution Control Board and state boards to file daily air-quality reports for November 2-6 (pre-Diwali), November 7-8 (Diwali) and November 9-30 (post-Diwali). Compliance affidavits are due December 14, and the case returns December 16.
Also read
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Frequently asked questions
Q: Can I burst crackers in Delhi on Diwali, November 8?
A: Yes, only certified green crackers, only on November 7 and 8, only in the allowed hours, and not in no-cracker zones.
Q: When can I buy green crackers?
A: November 4 to 6, at designated locations only. No online sales.
Q: What happens from November 9?
A: The complete ban on firecrackers, including green crackers, resumes.
What to watch: your district’s designated sale locations and no-cracker zone map, due before November 4.
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