Use of Hindi in High Courts

Under Article 348(2), 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 purpose of the State, in the proceedings of the High Court having its principal seat in that State, provided that decrees, judgments or orders passed by such High Courts shall be in English. In pursuance of the aforesaid provision, the Governors of four States, namely, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh have authorized the use of Hindi in the High Courts of their States.

Giving this information in written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Shri Salman Khurshid, Minister of Law & Justice, said that no details about whether the registries of Supreme Court and the High Courts are using Hindi in their administrative work are maintained by the Government. The Minister said that the 18th Law Commission of India in its 216th Report on “Non-Feasibility of Introduction of Hindi as Compulsory Language in the Supreme Court of India” has, inter-alia, recommended that the higher judiciary should not be subjected to any kind of even persuasive change in the present societal context. The Government in the Department of Official Language, have accepted this recommendation, Shri Khurshid informed the House.