(a) whether the Government is aware that all official work in High Courts of tile
country is done in English instead of official language ;
(b) if so, whether it is one of the causes of delay in the disposal of cases in the
High Courts of Hindi Speaking States;
(c) whether the Government is likely to formulate any law to ensure that all official work
in the High Courts of the country is done in official languages ;
(d) if so, by when; and
(e) if-not, the reasons therefor ?
MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE (SHRI H.R. BHARDWAJ)
(a) to (e): Article 348 (1) of the Constitution of India provid~ 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 p~se of judgements etc. made by
the High Court for that State.
In so far as the Hindi speaking States are concerned the Governors of four States namely;
Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradeah have authorized the use of Hindi in addition
to English language in the proceedings as well as the judgements, decrees etc. of the High Courts
in their States.
At present no proposal is under consideration of the Government to authorize use of
Hindi in any other High Court or the Supreme Court of India. However, the Registries of the
Supreme Court of India and the Delhi High Court have been requested from time to time to
encourage use of Hindi for administrative purposes.
Various steps have been taken to reduce delay if any in the disposal of cases in
Courts these include periodically monitoring the pendency position in courts, grouping of
cases involving common question of law, cons`titution of specialized benches, timely filling
up the vacancies of judges, increasing the judge strength, organizing Lok Adalats at regular
intervals, encouraging alternative modes of disputes resolution like negotiation, mediation
and arbitration and setting up of special tribunals like Centtal Administrative Tribunals,
State Administrative Tribunals, Income T8?` Appellate ~Tribunals, Family Courts, Labour
Courts, Fast Track Courts etc.