The Kerala High Court on Friday banned the bursting of firecrackers in religious places at odd times and asked authorities to conduct raids to recover illegally stored crackers.
While hearing a petition seeking the intervention of the Kerala High Court to prevent the bursting of crackers at religious places in Kerala, the court directed the Deputy Collectors, Commissioners of Police, in Cochin and other districts to issue instructions that henceforth onwards no crackers shall be burst in religious places at odd times. “Prima facie there is no commandment in any of the holy books to burst crackers for pleasing the God,” observed the court.
A single bench of Justice Amit Rawal said, “If the bursting of crackers is reported, the court may be compelled to initiate contempt proceedings.”
The petitioners said, “Most temple authorities, except a few, do not have any explosive licences. In fact, licences should not be issued as the bursting of crackers causes noise and air pollution. Crackers are burst at odd hours, disturbing peace.”
“This fact is not denied by the learned counsel representing the respondents as well as the fact that even this court had also heard the noise of the crackers even after midnight,” the court said.
The court also directed authorities to conduct raids in all religious places and take into possession of the crackers illegally stored in all religious places.
“This fact is not denied by the learned counsel representing the respondents as well as the fact that even this court had also heard the noise of the crackers even after midnight,” the court said.