Red Light for the President’s car - President and PM under RTI Act
Shri VeereshMalik of Defence Colony, New Delhi wanted to know from the PMO and the President’s office
1. The number of motor vehicles, fitted with red lights/beacons or other coloured lights/beacons used by the President and PM
2. The number of motor vehicles, fitted with sirens and/or klaxons and/or other/similar sound emitting devices.
3. Whether any permission was taken from the registering authorities for such lights and sirens.
RashtrapatiBhavan refused to part with the information on security grounds. But the PMO answered the questions as follows:-
1) Three
2) Nil
3) The three vehicles which are fitted with red lights are covered under Gazette Notification No. S.O. 52 (E) dated 11th January 2002 issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India.
Mr. Malik is before the CIC.
The CIC first observed that there are a number of appeals filed by Shri VeereshMalik involving various public authorities at the level of Government of India. Whereas the public authorities have generally been responsive to appeal notices and appear before the Commission, Shri VeereshMalik’s presence is the exception rather than rule.
The Commission noted that no permission is required for the President’s car to have a beacon and dismissed the appeal.
But what about the red light you see on the cars of officials like Chief Commissioners and Commissioners and more so junior state government officers. A red light on the car is a status symbol, but certainly the President and the PM are too big to use a red light for status.