Why in News?
The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly has unanimously passed a resolution urging the Central Government to allow Tamil as the primary court language of the Madras High Court. The resolution was moved by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay during the Assembly proceedings.
Key Highlights
- The resolution seeks a framework under which High Court judgments, orders and other legal documents can also be made available in Tamil.
- Tamil is already used in district and subordinate courts in Tamil Nadu for recording evidence and issuing certain judgments, decrees and orders.
- The State government argued that the use of Tamil in the High Court would make the justice system easier for ordinary people to understand.
- The proposal is not aimed at removing English from the High Court. It seeks to give Tamil greater legal and practical use.
- The resolution also called for legal Tamil and translation training for judges, lawyers and court staff.
- The government highlighted the development of digital courts and translation technologies as factors that can make the wider use of Tamil easier.
Constitutional Provision
- Article 348(1) of the Constitution provides that English shall be used in the proceedings of the Supreme Court and High Courts.
- Under Article 348(2), the Governor of a State can, with the prior consent of the President, authorise the use of the State's official language in High Court proceedings.
- Tamil was declared a Classical Language by the Government of India in 2004.
Tamil Nadu Official Language Act, 1956
- Under the Tamil Nadu Official Language Act, provisions allow the use of Tamil in certain judicial and administrative functions.
- Tamil can be used for recording evidence and publishing judgments, decrees and orders in subordinate courts and other specified courts in the state.
