NEW DELHI: Ahead of Diwali, the Supreme Court on Thursday refused to grant urgent listing to a petition filed by BJP leader Manoj Tiwari challenging the blanket ban on firecrackers in Delhi.
Tiwari in his petition had stated that Delhi has put a blanket ban on the sale, purchase and usage of firecrackers during festive seasons of Hindus, Sikhs, Christians & others till January 2023 and there’s a presumption that other states may also ban it like last year.
While refusing to grant urgent listing, a bench led by Justices MR Shah and MM Sundresh said, “Let people breathe clean air. Spend your money on sweets.”
Expressing concern over the air quality in the national capital, the bench said that there were other ways to celebrate the festival.
Responding to the court’s contention, counsel for Tiwari contended that the pollution was also rising due to stubble burning but the bench while turning down his request said that it would hear the matter later.
Earlier during the day, even the Delhi HC had turned down a petition challenging the Delhi Pollution Control Committee’s September 14 direction for a complete ban on the manufacturing, storage, sale and bursting of all kinds of firecrackers till January 1, 2023, in the national capital. Justice Yashwant Verma while turning down the plea had said that it would not be appropriate for the HC to consider the issue when the same was pending before the top court.
Even on October 10, SC refused to stay the order by the Delhi government banning the storage, sale and use of all varieties of firecrackers. “Specific order was passed pertaining to Delhi in view of rising pollution,” the judge had said.
Last year, SC banned crackers that were found to be injurious to health while making it clear that there is no blanket ban on crackers and that people could use permissible firecrackers to celebrate their festivals.