Ranchi: The proposal to authorise Hindi as a language in the proceedings of the Jharkhand High Court appears to have gained momentum, according to sources. Currently, all High Court proceedings are conducted in English.
High Court Seeks Input on Hindi Usage
A letter issued by the High Court Registrar General in-charge, Manoj Kumar Singh, on June 8 to the High Court Advocates' Association has requested opinions on the use of Hindi in court proceedings. A similar letter has been sent to the Jharkhand State Bar Council to gather views from its members.
Background of the Initiative
The genesis of authorising Hindi in court proceedings was initiated by the state government through the Governor on December 14, 2022. The recommendation was forwarded to Union Minister of State for Law and Justice, Arjun Ram Meghwal, who then sent it to the Chief Justice of India's office in June 2023.
Navin Kumar, Secretary of the Advocates' Association, stated, "The consideration of Hindi as a court language was mooted solely because the state has a higher population that speaks and understands Hindi. This will go a long way in ensuring availability of justice to people in the lowest rung of the ladder."
After receiving the letter from the Union Minister, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant sought the opinion of Jharkhand High Court Chief Justice M.S. Sonak on the matter.
Benefits for Litigants
Kumar further added that the High Court has written to the association to seek members' views on using Hindi in proceedings. "Hindi will definitely be more comfortable for litigants to understand the matter. It will also ensure that the proceedings in court are impartial and understood by all," he said.
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About the Author: Chandrajit Mukherjee, a second-generation practicing Advocate in the Jharkhand High Court since 2005, has been reporting on legal beats for the print media since 2000. He has contributed and written news related to judgments and orders passed by the High Court as well as decisions taken by other judicial forums, including the legal services authority and Judicial Academy.
