J&K govt caves to legislators, says no to red beacon for all

The Jammu and Kashmir government on Wednesday forbade the use of red beacons on official vehicles of the chief secretary, the director general of police and the state advocate general.

Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mir Saiffullah told the state assembly on Wednesday that the permission to use red beacons on official vehicles for the three has been withdrawn.

On Monday, the state cabinet had allowed the use of red beacons on the official vehicles of the three dignitaries but did not extend this to legislators.

Cutting across party lines, legislators, including those from the ruling National Conference and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party protested the cabinet decision a day later.

The legislators asserted that they should be allowed red beacons as they constitutionally enjoyed a higher status than the three dignitaries.

IANS