Transport officials implementing the Supreme Court orders to check the indiscriminate use of beacon lights atop motor vehicles have booked a judge, top police officers and IAS babus.
Five BBMP officials, including IPS officials, were found using the beacon illegally. Beacon lights were also removed from vehicles used by officials in BWSSB, Keonics, income tax, Hatti Gold Mines and others. The action included removal of the beacon light and a fine of Rs100.
According to a notification issued by the state government, 41 dignitaries, including the governor, chief minister, Lokayukta, chief justice of Karnataka high court and ministers are allowed to use the beacon light.
The rampant use of the flashing beacon lights atop official vehicles has been a craze with politicians and senior officers, and the Supreme Court has frowned on the practice.
Such is the craze for permission to use the beacon lights that the state government has been receiving letters from the department heads and private people, including pontiffs of different religious institutions, seeking permission to use the beacon.
“When we receive letters from the dignitaries and higher ups we forward the letter to the state government to take a call on the matter,” a senior official of the transport department said.
Replying to a question on the issue, the official said: “If we detect unauthorised use of such lights, we remove them and penalise the person,” said the official.
After the BJP government came to power in 2008, the cabinet, on three occasions, gave its approval for ‘dignitaries’ to use beacon lights. In 2009, all MPs were allowed to use red light on the top of official vehicles. In 2010, information commissioners of Karnataka Information Commission, the secretary and chairman of Isro and member finance of the department of space were permitted to use beacon lights.
The highest number of approvals were given in the year 2011, when the chairman of Karnataka human rights commission, the chief commissioner of income tax, director general of income tax (investigation), income tax ombudsman, chairman of Karnataka Administrative Tribunal and chairman of Kannada Development Authority were given permission.
The culprits
Five BBMP officials, including IPS officials, were using the beacon illegally
Beacon lights were also removed from vehicles used by officials in BWSSB, Keonics, income tax, Hatti Gold Mines
The action
Transport department officials removed the beacon light from the cars and levied a fine of Rs100
The rule
According to a notification, 41 dignitaries, including the governor, chief minister, Lokayukta, chief justice of Karnataka high court and ministers are allowed to use the beacon light. The central motor vehicle rules prescribes a penalty of Rs 100 for illegal use of beacon lights by officials and private citizens
What the SC said
On January 17, a bench of Justices GS Singhvi and HL Gokhale expressed strong disapproval
of the use of indiscriminate use of red beacon lights by so-called VIPs, including “sarpanches, mukhiyas, and for that matter MPs, MLAs and even judges” and warned of a complete ban on such lights.
@Suchithkidiyoor
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