Govt bans red beacons atop VIP vehicles

NEWDELHI: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday decided to ban the use of red beacons atop vehicles of dignitaries and government officials, including the Prime Minister and the President.

The decision comes into effect from May 1. The move means the blue flasher will be allowed only on vehicles belonging to the fire service, police, army and ambulances, to ensure passage through traffic.

“In a historic decision, the Cabinet has decided that beacon lights will be removed from all vehicles, barring emergency services vehicles, from May 1,” road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari said.

The decision to ban, taken at the meeting chaired by PM Narendra Modi, will extend to the vice-president, the chief justice of India, Union ministers, chief ministers, state cabinet ministers, bureaucrats and judges of the high court and Supreme Court.

The move comes a month after chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh and Punjab – Yogi Adityanath and Amarinder Singh – decided against the use of the red beacon

THE DECISION WILL EXTEND TO VICEPREZ, CJI, UNION MINISTERS, CMS , STATE CABINET MINISTERS, BUREAUCRATS AND JUDGES OF HC AND SC

on their official cars.

In 2013, the Supreme Court dubbed the use of beacons by ministers and government officials “ridiculous and synonymous with power” and said they should be removed immediately.

The following year, the top court again described beacons as a “status symbol” and added that besides constitutional functionaries, it was the “ambulances, fire services, police and army who are in need for red lights. Rest can be excluded and there is no need for our orders”. In 2015, the Supreme Court directed the Centre to drastically prune the list of VIPs using red beacons.

Congress’ Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh welcomed the decision, saying it is a “healthy step that will further strengthen the country’s democratic fibre.”