New Delhi: The government does not favour introduction of Hindi as a compulsory language in the Supreme Court, Rajya Sabha was informed on Friday.
Law Minister D V Sadananda Gowda said in a written reply that the government has accepted the stand of the Law Commission that the higher judiciary should not be subjected to any kind of "even persuasive change in the present context".
He was asked whether the Law Ministry proposes to take steps for relaxing Article 348 that "hinders" filing of petition and its hearing in Hindi in the Supreme Court so that petitions can be filed in Hindi without any hesitation.
Amid repeated demands on use of Hindi in the apex court and the high courts, the Law Commission had in 2008 recommended that no language should be thrust on any section of the people against their will since it is likely to become counter-productive.
"It is not merely a vehicle of thought and expression, but for judges at the higher level, it is an integral part of their decision-making process. Judges have to hear and understand the submissions of both the sides, apply the law to adjust equities thus, judges at the higher level should be left free to evolve their own pattern of delivering judgments," the panel had said.
