The Supreme Court on Monday decided to examine a plea to scrap 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 RM 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.
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.