Red beacons only for high statutory offices, rules Supreme Court

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: Months after asking the Centre and the states to remove sirens from vehicles of VIPs, the Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered red beacons be provided only to vehicles carrying people holding constitutional post and high dignitaries. The apex court in its order also said that state governments cannot enlarge list of VIPs to be given red beacon on their vehicles. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister welcomed the SC order and tweeted:

It's amazing how some people are married to this symbol of power. If the PM doesn't need a red beacon why should anyone else.

— Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) December 10, 2013

The court said that both the central and state governments will within three months issue a pruned list of constitutional functionaries entitled for red beacon lights on official vehicles. The court added that any violations of its direction would attract exemplary penalty. The court ordered that the police will implement the provisions of Motor Vehicle Act without fear or favour. The SC had earlier said that the use of beacons and sirens was a "reflection of British Raj". Earlier, the bench had said that misuse of red beacon and siren, granted by government to VIPs, is a menace to society and it must be stopped. It had said the red light has become a status symbol and had said that police personnel, who are put on duty for giving security cover to VIPs, should be deployed for better purposes like making the roads safe for women.