(a) whether the Union Government has taken or propose to take any
steps to promote the use of Hindi in the Supreme Court and Fligh
Courts of the Country; and
(b) if so, the details thereof?
(a) whether the Union Government has taken or propose to take any
steps to promote the use of Hindi in the Supreme Court and Fligh
Courts of the Country; and
(b) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF LAW & JUSTICE (SHRI SALMAN KHURSHID)
(a) & (b) : Article 348(1) of the Constitution of India provides that
all proceedings in the Supreme Court and in every High Court shall be
in English language until Parliament by law otherwise provides. Under
Article 348(2) the Governor of the State may, with the previous consent
of the President, authorize the use of the Hindi language or any other
language used for any official purpose of the. State, in the proceedings
of the High Court having its principal seat in that State provided that
decrees, judgements or orders passed by such High Courts shall be in
English.
Under Section 7 of the Official Language Act, 1963, the use of Hindi or
official language of a State in addition to the English language may be
authorized, with the consent of the President of India, by the Governor
of the State for the purpose of judgments etc. made by the High Court
for that State.
No law has since been made in this regard by the Parliament. Therefore,
English continues to be the language for all the proceedings of the
Supreme Court. However. Registries of the Supreme Court and the Delhi
High Court have been requested from time to time to encourage use of
Hindi in administrative works.