Hindi reply to TN MP’s plea: Follow Official Languages Act, HC tells Centre
K.Kaushik@timesgroup.com
Madurai:20.08.2021
Allowing Madurai MP Su Venkatesan’s plea that sought a direction to the Centre to ensure that all communications between the Centre and the state of Tamil Nadu and its people be in English alone, the Madras high court on Thursday directed the Centre to strictly follow the provisions of the Official Languages Act.
A division bench of Justice N Kirubakaran and Justice M Duraiswamy observed that once a representation is given in English, it is the duty of the Centre to send a reply only in English as the same would be in consonance with the provisions of the Official Languages Act.
Observing that this is an era of communication and information, the judges said a few languages in the country are thousands of years old and many are 100 years old. The governments should take steps for preservation and development of all languages.
Venkatesan had moved court after he received a Hindi reply from the ministry of state for home affairs to a representation he sent seeking to set up exam centres for the CRPF paramedical recruitment drive in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry last year.
The Centre submitted that the reply was in Hindi inadvertently. The Centre further submitted that there would not be any violation to the Official Languages Act and the Official Language Rules in the future. Recording the submissions, the judges directed the Centre, its officials and other instrumentalities to strictly follow provisions of the Act and Rules.
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