Deepavali 2026: All you need to know about Supreme Court-permitted time slots, green crackers and other directives

The Supreme Court of India permitted the use of green firecrackers during Deepavali in Delhi-NCR on November 7 and 8, 2026, recognizing it as a "religious practice." This move aimed to balance tradition with environmental and health concerns, as the unregulated use of firecrackers historically leads to a sharp rise in Air Quality Index (AQI) and pollution levels.

The court imposed time slots for bursting certified green firecrackers, restricting them to between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m., and between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m., while prohibiting any bursting within a 300-meter radius of hospitals, nursing homes, primary and district health centres, old age homes, and silence zones.

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