The Bombay High Court ordered a total ban on the bursting of firecrackers on public streets and roads during festivals, directing Maharashtra authorities to enforce strict decibel limits and other noise-control measures.
The court gave the order after finding that existing rules had largely remained "paper provisions" amid years of "brazen violations".
A bench of Justices G S Kulkarni and Dr Neela Gokhale, hearing a suo motu public interest litigation over noise and environmental pollution caused by unregulated music systems and firecrackers during festivals, passed the order after considering submissions from the Advocate General, amici curiae and counsel representing petitioners from Mumbai, Thane and Pune.
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In its order, the court directed: "There shall be a total ban to the bursting of firecrackers during festivities on public streets, roads, etc. The authorities shall take all measures to implement the said direction and prevent air and noise pollution being generated by the use of firecrackers."
It further ordered that "the authorities shall prohibit/ban the use of laser lights, high intensity lumen lights and beams in the festivities/processions," and that police and other authorities "take all necessary steps to measure the decibel levels of the noise pollution being generated by the persons who are granted permissions" and act against unlicensed sound systems.
The bench also directed that offending devices be seized and confiscated on any breach, and asked authorities to consider requiring deposits of at least Rs 1 lakh from associations and Rs 50,000 from individuals seeking permissions, forfeitable in case of violation.
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Organisers were told to display their permits publicly along with the names, addresses and mobile numbers of those responsible.
Violators face action under the Noise Pollution Rules read with the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, besides prosecution under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and the Explosives Act, 1884.
The court noted that despite the Supreme Court's 2005 ruling in "Noise Pollution (V) In Re" and its own 2016 judgment in the Mahesh Bedekar case, enforcement agencies had shown "total laxity", rejecting the state's assertion, made through Advocate General Milind Sathe, that "all is well".
Senior advocates Aspi Chinoy and Anil Sakhare, appearing as amici and for intervenors, had argued that decibel norms were routinely flouted, particularly in Thane and Pune.
The matter has been adjourned to 15 October 2026.
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