No protocol stickers for VIPs ………Shibu Thomas I TNN
Mumbai: The Bombay high court on Wednesday put a stop to the city polices practice of handing out protocol stickers to VIPs who are not allowed to use beacon lights on their private vehicles. Hearing a suo motu public interest litigation on the issue, a division bench of Justice J N Patel and Justice K A Tated quashed a 2005 government resolution that empowered the joint commissioner of police to hand out the stickers.
You are creating a privileged class that has no basis in law, said the judges.
Protocol stickers are pasted on the wind shield, and according to the traffic police allow the holders priority in parking. However, critics say they are open to misuse as such vehicles are almost deemed to be official vehicles.
The practice of protocol stickers dates back to 1979, and were initially given to high court judges, mayor and sheriff of Mumbai, members of parliament and of the legislative assembly/council as well as secretaries of government departments.
According to an affidavit submitted by assistant government pleader Pradeep Patil, the system of providing the protocol stickers was to facilitate dignitaries who may have to use their private cars in an emergency and there is a problem of parking or congestion.
The stickers came under the scanner of the high court following a letter sent by former Mumbai police commissioner Julio Ribeiro based on two articles published in the Times of India on November 11 and November 14, 2005. The letter questioned the advantages bestowed on people to whom such stickers were issued. If they are allowed to contravene traffic rules by possessing such stickers, the practise is unconstitutional as it offends the principle of equality before law and also permits some influential people to break the law.
Ribeiro asked the court to put a stop to the discriminatory practice.
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* Protocol stickers for the private cars of VIPs are issued by the joint commissioner of police (traffic) and are to be pasted on the windshield of the vehicles.
* According to the traffic police, the stickers allow the holders priority during parking. Critics say they are open to misuse as such cars are almost deemed to be official vehicles.
* The stickers could be issued to high court judges, mayor and sheriff of Mumbai, members of Parliament, members of the legislative assembly/council and secretaries of government departments, chairpersons/ members of law commissions and state commissions, advocate-general, winners of Bharat Ratna, Padma awards as well as Maharashtra Bhushan awards, former Union ministers, and former chief ministers/deputy chief ministers.