LUCKNOW, April 7 -- When the Central government scrapped the use of beacons for VIPs in 2017, it was hailed as the end of an era of entitlement. But the 'VIP culture' hasn't disappeared on the roads of Uttar Pradesh; it has merely evolved. In place of the red/blue lights, a new fleet of unauthorised symbols - multicolour lights, stiff flags, embroidered insignias and bold institutional labels - has emerged to assert authority. Experts say that there is no provision under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, or the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, permitting the display of flags on vehicles. Yet, across the state, bureaucrats are increasingly using small, stiff red or blue flags mounted on the bonnet of official cars. These often carry embroidered titles such as 'Mukhya Sachiv', 'Pramukh Sachiv', 'Krishi Utpadan Ayukt' or 'Parivahan Ayukt', along with 'Uttar Pradesh Sarkar' and the state emblem turning them into visible badges of authority. Similarly, politicians too can be seen moving in SUVs with party flag mounted on the bonnet, projecting authority on roads without any legal basis. "In the law, there is no provision for officials to display such flags as a status symbol on their official or private vehicles. There is flag code dealing with the national flag and its use is restricted to a handful of dignitaries," MV Act expert and former transport official Gangaphal said. Arvind Kumar Pandey, another expert and former additional commissioner (transport) also said in the law there was no provision for putting flags on vehicles. "Probably, a home department's notification authorises top police officials only to put a rectangular flag on their car bonnet," he added. A 2022 RTI reply from the Union ministry of road transport also made it clear that there was no provision under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, or the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, permitting the display of flags on vehicles. At the district level, vehicles of officials such as DMs, SSPs, CDOs and RTOs are commonly seen displaying designations on number plates or windscreens or on the vehicle body. In many cases, cars also carry labels such as 'High Court', 'Army', 'Police', 'UPPCL' 'Railways', 'DM Office' 'Advocate', 'Editor', etc blurring the line between identification and assertion of privilege. Such displays, however, remain banned in the state not only because the law does not permit them but the Allahabad high court too banned them two decades back. Anything beyond the prescribed registration details on number plates is not permissible. Displaying designations, professions, institutional affiliations or caste identities on the body of a vehicle is prohibited and punishable. Additional transport commissioner (enforcement) Sanjay Singh said, "I am not very sure about the legality of mounting of flags on official vehicles...I have to check this, but the law is very clear that no names/designations can be written on vehicle number plates or perhaps anywhere on the vehicle. The high court too banned this practice long back," he added. The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court, in an order dated June 23, 2006, directed the state government to curb the illegal practice of authorities and officials displaying their designations on vehicles. Leading by example, the court extended the same restriction to judges across both the higher and subordinate judiciary. It observed that the prevailing Motor Vehicles Rules did not permit any official to use vehicles bearing their designation, and advised the government to amend the rules if it wished to legitimise such a practice. "Continuation of such practices shows that despite orders, from banning beacons to restricting hooters, VIP mindset hasn't changed. It simply finds new ways to show itself whenever the old symbols are outlawed," remarked another senior transport department official....