Supreme Court permits green firecrackers in Delhi; Prashant Kishor withdraws from Bihar Assembly elections.
The Supreme Court has made a significant ruling regarding the sale and use of firecrackers in Delhi and the surrounding National Capital Region during the Diwali festival. The court has permitted the sale of green firecrackers from October 18 to October 21, establishing specific time limits for their use. Residents will be allowed to light these firecrackers between 6 am to 7 am and again from 8 pm to 10 pm. This decision comes after the court recognized that a total ban imposed earlier in April had unintended consequences, leading to an increase in the smuggling of conventional firecrackers, which pose a greater threat to air quality. The court emphasized the need for a balanced approach, acknowledging that green firecrackers are designed to be less polluting, as they do not contain harmful substances like lithium, arsenic, barium, or lead.
In a related development, Prashant Kishor, the founder of the Jan Suraaj party and a former political strategist, has confirmed that he will not be contesting the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. Kishor stated that the decision was made for the greater good of the party. He expressed a commitment to continue his work with Jan Suraaj, explaining that running for office could potentially detract from the chances of other candidates within the party. This announcement follows his earlier declaration on October 7 that he would enter the electoral race. The Bihar Assembly elections are scheduled to take place in two phases on November 6 and November 11, with the counting of votes set for November 14.
Meanwhile, the Union government has informed the Supreme Court that it has no objections to activist Sonam Wangchuk sharing his notes, which he prepared while in detention, with his wife, Gitanjali Angmo. The government also confirmed that the reasons for Wangchuk’s arrest had been communicated to Angmo. This situation has prompted Angmo’s legal counsel to request permission from the court to amend the petition challenging Wangchuk’s arrest to include these grounds. Wangchuk was taken into custody in Leh on September 26, shortly after violence erupted during protests advocating for statehood for Ladakh, resulting in four fatalities. The government accused Wangchuk of inciting this violence through his statements.
In another significant event, Mallojula Venugopal Rao, known as Bhupathi, a member of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), has surrendered to security forces in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli along with 60 other suspected Maoists. Bhupathi, who had a bounty of Rs 6 crore on his head, stated that discussions between the Communist Party of India (Maoist) and the government had been ongoing since March. He revealed that a ceasefire proposal was submitted by the outfit in May but received no official response, leading to increased violence. Bhupathi has called for a suspension of security operations in Maoist strongholds for one month to facilitate discussions with other leaders and those currently imprisoned. The Union government has reiterated its commitment to eradicate Maoism in the country by March 31, 2026.
