‘Tamil Nadu State Information Commission members use red beacon lights illegally’

The Times of India: Chennai: Tuesday, October 09, 2012.

Are state information commissioners entitled to red beacon light on their cars? No, say RTI activists in the city and allege that members of the Tamil Nadu State Information Commission (SIC) are flouting this rule.

Activists say only 19 categories of dignitaries can use red beacons and SIC members is not in the list. V Gopalakrishnan, a city based RTI activist, said: "I brought this issue to the traffic police but no action has been taken. It is clear that the SIC members are not following the orders of Madras high court and state government. Then how can they impose a penalty on other public information officers?"

Countering this, state chief information commissioner K S Sripati said: "According to the RTI act, the post of information commissioner is equal to that of chief secretary who is eligible to use a red beacon on his car. So there is nothing wrong in information commissioners using red beacon on their cars."

Gopalakrishnan, however, said: "As long as the rule does not permit it, information commissioners cannot use red beacon on cars."

A source in the Central Information Commission said chief information central commissioner Satyananda Mishra didn't use a red beacon on his car. "He is entitled to it but refused," said the source.

According to the rules, red beacon lights on cars are to be used by the Governor, chief minister, deputy chief minister, high court chief justice, high court judges, legislative assembly speaker, cabinet ministers, leader of the opposition, state ministers, advocate-general, chief secretary, director-general of police, chairman of the legislative council, state election commissioner, lok ayukta, chairman of the advisory board constituted under the NSA and under the Tamil Nadu Act 14 of 1982 (Goondas Act), the Nawab of Arcot and pilot and escort vehicles.

But many in the state, including IAS officers, politicians and university vice-chancellors, flout this rule with impunity. A RTI filed by TOI revealed no action has been taken against such persons in the last ten years.

In March, the Madras high court directed police to seize vehicles using red beacons without authorization on the basis of a public interest litigation petition filed by a Coimbatore-based advocate.