Modi Government Bans Use Of Red Beacons By Ministers And VIPs From 1 May

Ministers and other VVIPs will not be allowed to have red beacons atop their vehicles as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s new decision comes into force on 1 May 2017. All senior ranking officials and ministers, apart from the president, vice president, prime minister, chief justice of India and the speaker of Lok Sabha, will have to give up this privilege.

This development comes after newly appointed Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered all his ministerial colleagues and senior officials to shun siren and hooters and red beacons atop vehicles. A similar step was taken by the Punjab government, led by Captain Amarinder Singh.

Modi has, at various occasions, called for an end to the VIP culture. Therefore the decision is in line with his vision of ending the culture of privilege.

In 2013, a bench of Justices GS Singhvi and C Nagappan had ordered to amend the Motor Vehicle Rules to disallow ministers and VVIPs from using red beacon and impose an exemplary fine on those who misused it.