There cannot be a complete ban on firecrackers and the mechanism to stop their misuse has to be strengthened, the Supreme Court said on Monday setting aside the Calcutta High Court order banning firecrackers during Kali Puja, Diwali and other festivals this year to check air pollution amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice Hima Kohli said that as a division bench headed by the Gujarat high court Chief Justice has already taken a suo motu note of the incident and has passed several orders, it will not hear the petitions as of now.
A bench of Justices R F Nariman, B R Gavai and Hrishikesh Roy told senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayana, appearing for petitioner advocate Ashwini Upadhyay, "What kind of writ petition is this under Article 32. We will impose a heavy cost on you. You argue on your own risk."
The apex court said political parties will also have to upload reasons for selecting candidates with pending criminal cases on their website.
The apex court has directed that status quo be maintained till its next hearing on October 21.
The Supreme Court-appointed Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha panel asked the Board of Control for Cricket in India to accept its reforms before proceeding ahead with the process of awarding the Indian Premier League media rights from 2018 onwards.
A bench of Justices KM Joseph and BV Nagarathna said from the records tabled before the court it appears that the Karnataka government's decision is based on "absolutely fallacious assumption".
The apex court-appointed Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha committee moved the Supreme Court seeking a direction to appoint former home secretary G K Pillai as an observer to guide' the Board of Control for Cricket in India in the administrative works including award of contracts, transparency norms and holding of future domestic, international and Indian Premier League matches.
Delhi, which has gained infamy as one of the world's most polluted cities, has for some years now witnessed a sustained campaign from various quarters seeking a ban on firecrackers. While the Centre launched the newly approved, eco-friendly firecrackers earlier this month as a "safer and cheaper" alternative, the mood in the market is tepid, says Ritwik Sharma.
