Do away with beacon lights and VIP sirens: SC

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday exhorted central and state governments to do away with flashing beacon lights and sirens for VIPs to restore the confidence of the common man.

“These things don’t require a Supreme Court order,” said Justice GS Singhvi, sitting alongside Justice Kurian Joesph. No one except policemen on duty, army personnel and emergency services, such as fire and ambulances, should be allowed to use beacon lights, the bench observed. “This one gesture will go a long way in instilling confidence of the people that they are not being treated differently,” he said. “People hate red lights (atop vehicles) because of the accessories… the dandawielding policemen asking people contemptuously to move,” he said.

ASG Siddharth Luthra, appearing for the Punjab government, said it was done to make VIP identifiable so that he was allowed to pass. Central counsel Indira Jaisingh said the rules only contemplated that officials would use flashing beacons while on duty, but this was often misused.