News Desk: Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant on Sunday stressed that citizens have a democratic right to access court judgments in their own languages, calling on all constitutional institutions to uphold the spirit of the Constitution on linguistic inclusion.
Speaking at the 33rd annual programme of the Hindi Seva Nidhi Trust in Etawah, the CJI said there is a clear public expectation that constitutional provisions related to language must be meaningfully implemented across the country. While English continues to be the official language of the Supreme Court under constitutional and legal norms, he noted that sustained efforts are underway to reduce the language barrier between the judiciary and the people.
Justice Kant said the Supreme Court has already begun translating its judgments into 16 Indian languages, a step aimed at making justice more accessible and transparent. He underlined that every citizen should be able to read an authenticated version of a Supreme Court judgment in the official language of their state.
Emphasising inclusivity, the Chief Justice said access to justice is incomplete if people cannot fully understand judicial decisions that affect their rights and lives. Making judgments available in regional languages, he added, strengthens public trust in the judicial system and deepens constitutional democracy.
