Goa Lokayukta office has sought to know from the state government whether its head can use car with 'red beacon', in view of a complaint filed in this regard by a social activist.
Activist Aires Rodrigues had earlier lodged a complaint with state Chief Secretary claiming the Goa Lokayukta was using a red beacon on his car though he was not entitled to. "I will not offer any comment on the issue. There is some correspondence happening between the secretary Lokayukta and the government," Goa's Lokayukta Justice (Retd) PK Misra said.
He said a notification issued by the central government following a Supreme Court order on red beacon car says that "any dignitary declared as equivalent to Supreme court judge can use red beacon car". "And under section 6 of Goa Lokayukta Act, Lokayukta is having status of Supreme Court judge," he said.
"Possibly there is a scope for interpreting that Lokayukta can use car with red beacon," Justice Misra said, adding that he has already stopped using the red beacon, awaiting clarification from the government. Rodrigues had in his complaint said that Lokayukta using red beacon car amounts to "gross contempt of the Supreme Court's order".
As per the complaint, in accordance with the Supreme Court order, the Goa government by a notification issued on July 3, 2014 notified the list of persons entitled to use the red beacon on their official vehicle. As per that notification, only the Governor, Chief Minister and Ministers, Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Chief Justice and Judges of the High Court, Leader of Opposition, Advocate General and the Chief Secretary, are allowed to use the red beacon, the complaint had said.
