A division bench allowed bursting firecrackers except between 10 pm and 6 am unless authorities issued specific orders relaxing time frame.
Published Nov 07, 2023 | 6:24 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 07, 2023 | 6:24 PM
Firecrackers have high smoke emissions due to their high magnesium and cordite content which can have adverse affect on you. (Creative Commons)
The division bench of the Kerala High Court on Tuesday, 7 November, partially modified its earlier order banning the bursting of firecrackers in religious places at odd times.
It said in the modified order that the bursting of firecrackers could be allowed based on the earlier Supreme Court directions.
The division bench, headed by the chief justice, said district collectors could give permission based on the situation. The court also stayed the order to conduct raids at religious places and seize the “illegally stored firecrackers”.
The high court was considering the appeal filed by various stakeholders including the state government in the matter.
Referring to the 26 March, 2007, order of the Supreme Court, the division bench allowed the bursting of firecrackers except between 10 pm and 6 am unless authorities issued specific orders relaxing the time frame on a case-by-case basis.
Justice Amit Rawal on 3 November banned the use of firecrackers in religious places at odd hours and said there was no commandment in any of the holy books that mandate the bursting of crackers to please God.
The state government informed the court that there was already a ban on bursting firecrackers from 10 pm to 6 am. The government also said there were some relaxations when it came to festivals.
“No firecrackers shall be burst in religious places at odd times as there are no commandments in any of the holy books that mandate the bursting of firecrackers to please God,” the Kerala High Court said on 3 November.
Banning the use of crackers, Justice Amit Rawal had directed the police chiefs of all districts of the state to conduct raids at religious places and seize the “illegally stored firecrackers”.
The court said that permission can be granted by the district collectors after analysing the situation.
On 22 September, the Supreme Court, during the hearing on a plea by firecracker manufacturers, reiterated the directions issued in its 23 October, 2018, order banning the use of barium as an oxidiser in the production of crackers across the country.
The plea filed by the firecracker manufacturers challenged the total ban on the sale of green as well as other variants of firecrackers in the national capital, Delhi, was dismissed by the apex court.
(With PTI inputs)
