Will the state government look the red light in the eye or turn a blind eye to it — yet again?

That is the question doing the rounds among crusaders against the red-light raj, following Friday’s court order.

For the past eight years, the state government has been assuring the high court that it would follow the norms relating to use of beacon lights and initiate action against violators. “At least seven similar public interest litigations have been moved before the high court. Every time the government counsels assure the court that police will take action against offenders” some legal experts said on Friday.

In 1999, a division bench of Justice T.K. Chatterjee and Justice S.K. Tiwari, while disposing of a petition by Calcutta-36, a social welfare organisation, had directed police to take action against all those found using the red light atop their cars, illegally.

Another petition was moved in 2001, this time by advocate Subroto Mookherjee. The next action replay was by Tapas Bhanja in 2002. “A number of police officers are using beacon lights illegally. So, how can the traffic police take action against their superiors?” pointed out Bhanja.

According to legal experts, only if a contempt petition is moved would the state machinery be forced to slam the brakes on the beacon brigade.