Apex court restricts use of beacon lights

New Delhi: The Supreme Court, which has been demanding heavy pruning of the number of red lights or lal battis used by VIP cars in Delhi, on Tuesday ruled that only Constitutional authorities are entitled to the privilege which guarantees right of way.

Constitutional authorities include the President, Prime Minister, cabinet ministers, governors, the Chief Justice of India, Supreme Court judges and the heads of both houses of Parliament. The court also asked the Centre and state governments to furnish within three months a list of authorities who are entitled to use lal battis.

Judges warned that the list cannot be expanded at the government's discretion. Emergency vehicles and police jeeps should be assigned blue flashing lights, the court added. The court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation on the indiscriminate use of red beacons and sirens which are flaunted by VIPs as a symbol of power and often lead to huge traffic disruptions for commuters.

"I am firmly of the view that only the PM and the President should have a red beacon on their cars," Union Minister Jairam Ramesh said. Welcoming the ruling, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah 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? I look forward to instructing my people to remove red beacons from my official vehicles also now. " The court had earlier called the misuse of beacons a "menace" on the roads.

In August, Supreme Court judges had questioned, "What is the idea of everyone in the list being a high dignitary? How is working capacity enhanced by having red lights?" This was after states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh said they wanted to make an exception for "high dignitaries" to use beacons and sirens on their vehicles.