The Supreme Court of India has reprimanded senior bureaucrats in Delhi, including the Chief Secretary, for the delayed payment of dues to construction workers impacted by the city's construction ban aimed at reducing pollution. The court had ordered that workers should be compensated during the ban, which was imposed on November 18, but only partial payment had been made. The government had promised ₹8,000 to over 90,000 workers, but many had only received ₹2,000 as an immediate relief. The court, expressing frustration, questioned when the remaining balance would be paid and warned of issuing contempt notices if the situation was not rectified.

In response, the Chief Secretary assured the court that further payments would be made promptly, but the court raised concerns over the government's failure to accurately identify the workers and verify their numbers. The court also pointed out the lack of initiative to register the workers properly. The Supreme Court also reviewed the air quality situation and granted relaxation in the GRAP IV rules, after the Commission for Air Quality Management reported improvements. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi was recorded at 161, categorized as 'moderate.'