SC modifies HC order on Cracker Ban, grants partial relief to Firecracker Dealers

On Friday, the Apex Court modified the Telangana HC order & granted partial relief to Telangana Fire Works Dealers Association (TFWDA) allowing the sale & bursting of green crackers for 2 hours during Diwali.

A bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice A M Khanwilkar & also comprising Justice Sanjiv Khanna, issued notice to the Govt of Telangana returnable on Nov 16.

The impugned judgment stands modified & be in line with NGT's order of Nov 9 which applies even to the State of Telangana, the Top Court said in its interim order.

Senior Advocate Salman Khurshid & others Lawyers including Pranav Diesh, Mohammad Ibrahim, C H Jayakrishna, & Advocate on Record (ALR) Somanadri Goud Katam, appeared for TFWDA & argued the matter before the Apex Court today.

This comes after the High Court of Telangana on Thursday banned the sale & use of crackers in the state ahead of Diwali, owing to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Some other states & union territories have banned firecrackers in the situation created by COVID-19 while a few have allowed selective use of 'green' firecrackers for a few hours. Some states are also battling high level of pollution. 

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