SC to hear plea for scrapping use of red beacon by VIPs

The Supreme Court today agreed to hear a plea for scrapping a rule that allows use of red beacons on the vehicles of high dignitaries, observing that the term 'high dignitaries' used for people is contrary to democratic ethos.
A bench of justices R M Lodha and Shiva Kirti Singh agreed to look into the constitutional validity of section 108(1) of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, that allows VIPs to use of red beacon lights.
The bench asked senior advocate Harish Salve, who is assisting the court as amicus curiae in a PIL on limiting the use of red beacon, to file an application on this after he said he intends to challenge the constitutional validity of the said section of the motor vehicle rules.

The bench wanted to know whether there are any other examples from other republics on VIP security that can be looked at while deciding the issue.
Salve submitted he had checked the relevant rules in the US and Britain and even in Britain, the Prime Minister does not use beacon lights atop his vehicles.
In the US also, there is nothing of the kind and security is provided to people very discreetly, he told the court.

The apex court had on December 10 ruled that red beacon can only be used by high dignitaries holding constitutional posts while on duty, putting an end to its misuse by politicians and bureaucrats flaunting it as a status symbol.

The apex court also banned private individuals from using siren in their vehicles saying it is reflective of the "Raj mentality".
It had said there has been "abysmal" failure of the authorities to check misuse of red beacon and pulled up the authorities for their failure to prevent misuse of siren for the last 24 years.