Marathi no more compulsory: High Court

News Reported by Journalist Zuber

Bombay 5^th May 2017: Monopoly of Marathi language will finish in Maharashtra Judiciary especially in the Metropolitan Magistrate courts and lower courts across Maharashtra and Goa.   On the name of Marathi language, litigants and Advocates used to harass and mentally torture by the junior staff and clerks.  A circular has been passed by the Civil Judge Senior Division Panvel directed to the Advocates and litigates to use compulsory Marathi language in the ligation, failing which their petition will not be entertained by the Court.

Advocate M.A. Khan High Court Bombay filed a complaint through his junior in Panvel Court with regards to one Umashankar Gupta V/s Mohammed Tajmul Ansari, complaint No. 39 of 17.  Litigate Mr. Umashankar Gupta is from Uttar Pradesh and he is not proficient and comfortable with Marathi language.  Clerks in the court harassed the litigate even after knowing his background from UP.   Even court was not ready to listen the plea and entertained Advocate M.A. Khan High Court Bombay after his personal appearance in the matter.   

After the circular several non-Marathi litigants were very uncomfortable and faced the hardship.   Advocates faced the problem in conversion the litigation from English to Marathi if matter is in limitation.

Circular of the Civil Judge Senior Division Panvel has been challenged in the High Court Bombay through Writ Petition No. 4102 of 2017.  On 2^nd May 2017 Court of Justice V.M. Kanade & Justice C.V. Bhadange J.J. ruled in favour of litigants to use the English in the petition.  Further Hon’ble High Court observed that circular is patently illegal.  Since English is also the language of Court so litigates can use the English language instead of compulsory Marathi Language.  High Court Bombay given direction to the Civil Judge Senior Division Panvel to accept all the pleading which are in English language.   Court also make it clear that litigation in Marathi should also be accepted, with an undertaking to furnish the translated copy as and when it required by the Court.