CJI Kant stresses on ensuring court decisions made accessible to citizens in their own languages

Etawah (UP), Dec 20 (PTI) Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant on Saturday said all constitutional institutions must work in the spirit of the Constitution to ensure that judicial processes and court decisions are made accessible to citizens in their own languages.

Addressing the 33rd annual programme of the Hindi Seva Nidhi Trust at the Islamia College campus here, he said there was an expectation that constitutional provisions relating to language would be implemented across the country.

"The effort will be that court proceedings, whether it is writing, speaking, arguments or judgments, should be available in the languages of the people," the CJI said.

Justice Surya Kant said the Supreme Court was "very alert" on the issue.

While English remains the official language of the apex court as per constitutional and legal provisions, he said significant steps had already been taken to bridge the language gap.

"We have already started translating Supreme Court judgments into 16 languages. Any citizen of the country should be able to read an authenticated translated copy in the language of his or her state," Justice Kant said.

He added that the aim was to ensure that all constitutionally recognised languages eventually carry Supreme Court judgments, proceedings and actions in a simple and accessible manner so that they reach the common person.

Highlighting the role of technology, CJI Kant said modern tools, including artificial intelligence-based applications, were proving to be a major support. "If used correctly, technology can help explain the entire legal process and deliver information to people in their own language," he said.

"It is our responsibility to make the common citizen feel that whatever happens in courts -- from the Supreme Court to district courts -- he or she is a participant in the process. Efforts in this direction will continue," the CJI added.

The programme was presided over by noted poet Waseem Barelvi and several other scholars. PTI COR CDN NSD NSD