Only constitutional authorities entitled to red beacon lights: SC

Only constitutional authorities are entitled to the use of red beacon lights said a single judge bench of the Supreme Court in a judgment on Tuesday.

It also asked the government to make appropriate amendments in the Motor Vehicles Act to make the fine amounts a deterrent, and banned pressure horns, multiple sound emitting horns and musical horns in vehicles.

A bench headed by Justice G S Singhvi asked the Centre to issue a fresh list of people eligible for using red beacon on their vehicles and asked the government to amend the rule within three months.

The bench also said state governments cannot enlarge the list of VIPs eligible for red beacon lights.

The court passed the order on a PIL filed by Uttar Pradesh resident Abhay Singh on the misuse of red beacon lights.

Earlier, the bench had said that misuse of red beacon and siren, granted by government to VIPs, was a menace to society and it must be stopped.

It criticised the fact that it has become a status symbol.

It also said police personnel, who act as security cover for VIPs, should be deployed for better purposes like making the roads safe for women.