SC dismisses plea seeking Hindi as official language

A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana said changes concerning the language used by the Supreme Court cannot be brought about through judicial orders and would instead have to be introduced gradually as part of institutional reforms.

The Supreme Court on Friday declined to entertain a plea seeking the constitution of a commission to examine making Hindi an official language of the Court, observing that changes concerning the language of judicial proceedings cannot be brought about through court orders. A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana said changes concerning the language used by the Supreme Court cannot be brought about through judicial orders and would instead have to be introduced gradually as part of institutional reforms.

The apex court was hearing a petition seeking a direction to the Centre to constitute a commission to make recommendations on the use of Hindi in the Supreme Court. The CJI said the Court was already introducing language-related measures in a gradual manner, including providing brief descriptions of its judgments and reports in Hindi, with plans to extend such initiatives to other regional languages.

“We are now giving a brief description of all the reports in Hindi. We will start with other regional languages. We will maintain the culture. We will respect other regional languages also,” CJI Kant said. He stressed that such changes would have to be implemented as part of institutional reforms rather than through judicial directions.

“These things do not happen through court orders. They happen as part of reforms, slowly and in a phased manner. Such things we are doing,” the CJI observed. When the counsel pressed for at least a direction to constitute a commission, Justice Mohana noted that the relief sought would effectively entail a constitutional change.

“You are asking for a constitutional amendment. How can a court do that?” Justice Mohana asked. The counsel clarified that the immediate prayer was limited to setting up a Commission. The bench, however, declined to grant the relief and dismissed the plea.

Article 348(1)(a) of the Constitution provides that proceedings in the Supreme Court and High Courts shall be conducted in English, subject to the constitutional framework governing the use of other languages. (ANI)