An application has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking initiation of contempt proceedings against the Delhi government for imposing a complete ban on manufacturing, storage, sale and bursting of firecrackers.
The petition has been filed by Jai Bhagwan Goyal, Executive Chairman of United Hindu Front; Subhash Chand, President of Khatik Charamkar Balmiki Sabha and one Meenu Verma through Advocate AP Singh.
The plea contended that the prohibition imposed on the purchase and sale of firecrackers and not giving licence to firecracker shops in Delhi was not only an attack on the religious tradition of bursting crackers on Deepawali, but also violated the Explosives Rules 2008.
On September 16, 2022, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) had passed an order, stating that it was extending the ban on online sale of firecrackers.
As per the government order, the Delhi government has imposed a complete ban of the manufacturing, storage, selling (including delivery through online marketing platform) and bursting of all kinds of firecrackers up to January 1, 2023.
The petition alleged that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, without passing any official resolution, announced a ban on the sale, storage and distribution of firecrackers in Delhi.
It further alleged that the prohibition imposed by the Delhi government was in violation of the directions issued by the Apex Court Bench of Justice M.R. Shah and Justice A.S. Bopanna on October 29, 2021.
The Delhi Police has also attacked the Hindu religion by not giving licences to firecracker shops. Not only have the firecracker shops been denied licences, but some of them were even closed down, claimed the petition.
It noted that the Delhi government was not only losing thousands of crores of revenue due to this ban, but crores of people were also becoming unemployed.
(Case Title: Arjun Gopal & Ors vs Union of India & Ors)