Right to Access Court Judgments in Their Own Language: CJI

Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant has underscored the need to make court judgments accessible to citizens in their respective regional languages, stating that all constitutional institutions must function in the true spirit of the Constitution.

Speaking at the 33rd annual programme of the Hindi Seva Nidhi Trust in Etawah, Uttar Pradesh, the Chief Justice said there is a growing expectation that constitutional provisions related to language should be implemented uniformly across the country. He noted that access to justice is meaningful only when people are able to read and understand judicial decisions without language barriers.

While reiterating that English continues to be the official language of the Supreme Court under existing constitutional and legal frameworks, Justice Kant highlighted that significant progress has been made to reduce the language divide. He informed that the Supreme Court has already initiated the translation of its judgments into 16 Indian languages.

The Chief Justice stressed that every citizen should have the right to access an authentic translated copy of a judgment in the language of their state, calling it an important step towards inclusive justice and democratic participation.