In a significant policy reversal, the Supreme Court on Friday permitted the sale and bursting of firecrackers in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) for five days during Diwali, marking the first festive season in years when fireworks will be legally allowed. The decision comes months after another bench led by Justice Abhay S. Oka reaffirmed the region’s blanket ban on firecrackers in April.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Bhushan R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran said the relaxation would apply “on a trial basis” and within fixed time limits. The move follows a proposal by the Union government, represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, to allow only “green firecrackers” approved by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI).

“For the t

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