English is the Court Language : Gujarat High Court

Tags: State News

A Division Bench of the Gujarat High Court has asked a journalist facing contempt of court proceedings to speak only in English as that was the language in the higher judiciary.

• The Bench comprising Chief Justice Aravind Kumar and A.J. Shastri made the directive to  local journalist Vishal Vyas, who runs Samna Bhrashtachar Ka, against which contempt of court proceedings was initiated in 2014.
• Vishal Vyas insisted on speaking in Gujarati.
• In the High Court, there is a rule that even if any party who does not hire a lawyer appears in person, he has to speak and argue in English only.

Language to be used in Courts 

• The Bench also underlined that the Article 348 of the Constitution mandates that the language of the High Court would be English.
• However under clause 2 of the article provides that the governor can authorise the use of Hindi or any other language with the consent of the President for the proceedings of the High Court.
• In the Supreme Court it is English only.