Question : Use of Hindi in High Courts and the Supreme Court

(a) the details of steps taken by the Government to promote the use of Hindi in High Courts and the Supreme Court;

(b) the details of directions issued by the Government to promote the use of Hindi in the courts and to write judgements in Hindi along with the number of judgements given in Hindi;

(c) whether it is a fact that Hindi has failed to get its due place in High Courts and the Supreme Court despite several directions issued by the Government in this regard and if so, the details thereof; and

(d) whether the Government proposes to take this issue seriously and issue necessary directions in this regard and if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
(SHRI AJAY KUMAR MISHRA)
(a) & (b): Article 348(1)(a) of the Constitution of India states that all proceedings in the Supreme Court and in every High Court, shall be in English language. Article 348(2) of the Constitution of India states that the Governor of a State may, with the previous consent of the President, authorize the use of the Hindi Language, or any other language used for any official purposes of the State, in proceedings in the High Court having its principal seat in that State.
-2/…
-2-
LS.US.Q.NO.4151 FOR 29.03.2022
Section 7 of the Official Languages Act, 1963 states that the Governor of a State may, with the previous consent of the President, authorize the use of Hindi or the official language of the State, in addition to the English language, for the purposes of any judgement, decree or order passed or made by the High Court for that State and where any judgement, decree or order is passed or made in any such language (other than the English language), it shall be accompanied by a translation of the same in the English language issued under the authority of the High Court.
The details of number of judgements given in Hindi is not maintained Centrally.
(c) & (d) :The Cabinet Committee''s decision dated 21.05.1965 has stipulated that consent of the Hon''ble Chief Justice of India be obtained on any proposal relating to use of a language other than English in the High Courts.
The use of Hindi in proceedings in the High Court of Rajasthan was authorized under Article 348(2) of the Constitution in 1950. After the Cabinet Committee''s decision dated 21.05.1965 as mentioned above, the use of Hindi was authorized in the High Courts of Uttar Pradesh (1969), Madhya Pradesh (1971) and Bihar (1972) in consultation with the Chief Justice of India.
*****