Lok Sabha Question No. 133 (STARRED), answered on 2023-07-28
Subject: Promotion of Hindi in SC and HCs
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Veena Devi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO. *133 TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 28 th  JULY, 2023 PROMOTION OF HINDI IN SC AND HCs

## † *133. SHRIMATI VEENA DEVI :

Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state:-

- a) the details of the steps taken by the Government to promote the use of Hindi in the High Courts (HCs) and the Supreme Court (SC);
- b) the details of various instructions issued by the Government for the use of Hindi in issuing judicial decisions and the number of decisions given by the Courts in Hindi during the last five years;
- c) whether despite so many instructions of the Government, Hindi has not got the desired place in the High Courts and other courts; and
- d) if  so,  the  details  thereof  including  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  in  this regard?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE; MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS; AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE

(SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL)

- (a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of  the House.

***

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *133 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 28.07.2023.

(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 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.

Section 7 of the Official Language 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 judgment, decree or order passed or made by the High Court for that State and where any judgment, 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 Court.

The use of Hindi in the proceedings of 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.