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“What could be the reason for providing red lights to sarpanches, mukhiyas, and for that matter MPs, MLAs and even judges? Why should the government of India not... scrap the rule that authorises such use. Why don’t you make new rules, specifying the categories of people or institutions that should have red, yellow or blue lights? It cannot be for everyone,” said a Bench of Justices G S Singhvi and H L Gokhale.
The Bench directed the state governments and union territories to file affidavits giving information on all those enjoying police protection and the cost borne by the government for their security. “We will have to stop use of red lights as insignia of authority if we don’t get proper replies from them,” it said.
“In states like Punjab, Haryana and also Rajasthan, even sarpanches have PSOs. They have black films on their vehicles and no police officer will dare to touch them,” it said.
Stating that the Centre’s stand will be the “most important”, the court told Solicitor General Rohinton Nariman to address two main issues. First, under which provisions of the Motor Vehicle Act and relevant rules are the red beacon lights allowed; second, the categories of people who are provided security. “You will also have to explain the meaning of these sirens with the lights,” it added.
Asked if only constitutional authorities like the prime minister, president, governors, chief justices and a few others should be given beacon lights, Nariman replied: “No, I think it should also be based on threat perception. Let there be a handful of defined functionaries and then some based on threat perception.”
Mr Nariman has proved himself to be immensely incompetent to deal with the issue by his talk of threat perceptions and defined functionaries. Just to help him here is my two pence worth definition required by him: Only those who will be held responsible for not reacting promptly when a crime is reported- basically the SHOs of police stations- should be allowed to use beacons in their vehicles and only when they are on such missions.
Only a whip by apex court can discipline Indian politicians which are like diapers and need to be changed for the same reasons
VIP security has become a status symbol in our Republic.If these politicians are so scared of their lives, let them a retire from Politics.A poor Nation like India must not waste the tax payers' money on providing security to these politicians ,most of whom are with some criminal background and hence they have a greater threat perception
