Local languages should be promoted at lower and High Courts: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju

Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday asserted that regional and local languages should be promoted in proceedings at lower and high courts. 

The minister said mother tongue should not be considered lesser than English and asserted that he does not subscribe to the view that a lawyer should get more respect, cases or fees only because he speaks more in English. 

Rijiju said this at the inaugural session of the 18th All India Legal Services Authority in Jaipur.

He also said that no court should be only for the privileged and the doors of justice should be open for all, equally.

He also stated that nearly 71 laws will be repealed when the parliamentary session begins Monday.

Expressing concern over the rise in the number of pending cases in the country, he stated that such cases would be Rs 5 crores but pendency can be reduced with coordination between the judiciary and the government.

The government and the judiciary must have good coordination to achieve the goal of delivering justice to the people, said Rijiju.

Earlier too, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma also sought to promote the use of local languages in the Assembly. 

He stated that MLAs should be allowed to speak and debate in Khasi and Garo languages. 

While English is the official language in Meghalaya, Khasi and Garo languages are considered its associated official languages. 

In the past, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also talked about the need to use local languages in courts, stressed on moving towards digital delivery of justice systems, importance of mediation and reiterated his government’s effort to improve judicial infrastructure and judicial strength.