LI Network
Published on: 24 August 2023 at 11:40 IST
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has embarked on an initiative to translate its judgments into Hindi, a significant stride toward ensuring wider accessibility of legal information to the general public.
This initiative aims to make court judgments and orders issued by the High Court comprehensible to individuals more comfortable with Hindi.
The official announcement of this practice was made on August 16 via the High Court’s official website.
Starting from January 1, 2023, the High Court will translate full bench and division bench judgments, along with single-judge judgments from August 11 onward, into Hindi.
These translations will be accessible on the High Court’s website.
This step underscores the court’s commitment to accommodating a broader audience and breaking down language barriers that might restrict legal information access to English proficient individuals.
The decision of the Himachal Pradesh High Court aligns with the approach taken by the Supreme Court of India.
Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud, emphasized the importance of translating court judgments into regional languages, recognizing that the legal use of English might not be comprehensible to a vast majority of the nation’s populace.
The Supreme Court has already commenced translating its judgments into regional languages, with approximately 2,900 judgments currently available in vernacular languages.
Numerous other High Courts in India, including Kerala, Delhi, Bombay, and Allahabad, have already adopted similar strategies to provide judgments in local languages.
This approach fosters inclusivity, making legal information accessible to people from diverse linguistic backgrounds.
The translation of judgments into Hindi by the Himachal Pradesh High Court is a remarkable stride in overcoming language barriers and enhancing the accessibility of the judicial system.
This move is expected to benefit an array of individuals, encompassing litigants, lawyers, and members of the public interested in comprehending court decisions.
It not only amplifies legal access but also advances transparency and comprehension of legal matters among the wider population.
In essence, the Himachal Pradesh High Court’s Hindi translation endeavor represents a positive advancement in bolstering access to legal information for a broader audience.
This initiative serves as an exemplar for other courts to emulate, solidifying justice’s reach beyond linguistic confines and reiterating the principles of inclusiveness and transparency within India’s judicial framework.
