New Delhi: The Supreme Court Wednesday told a counsel, representing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Manoj Tiwari, that it will not interfere with the firecracker ban imposed in the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
A bench comprising Justices A S Bopanna and M M Sundresh said, “Locally if there is a problem, if it is banned then it is banned……”, and refused to interfere with the ban of firecrackers. Tiwari’s counsel argued that the Delhi government has imposed an absolute ban on the sale and use of firecrackers, despite the apex court order that there cannot be a complete ban. The counsel submitted that they are putting a complete ban on firecrackers, which also included the green crackers.
Justice Bopanna said, “If a government feels it is to be banned, it is banned, that is all….we will not say….”. Advocate Shashank Shekhar Jha, representing Tiwari, argued that there are many states like Delhi imposing complete bans despite orders of the apex court and National Green Tribunal (NGT) allowing green crackers.
Tiwari’s counsel said firecrackers are allowed at different times, for example, to celebrate election victory and there are states which are imposing Section 144. The bench said, “You can celebrate your victory in different ways. Do something for the people….”.
The bench refused to interfere with the ban on firecrackers in the national capital and told the counsel, “If you feel like bursting crackers go to a state where there is no ban and burst there….”. Tiwari had filed a writ petition last year challenging the firecracker ban imposed in Delhi ahead of Diwali.
