Big win as Madras HC judge delivers verdict in Tamil

CHENNAI: After years of demands by lawyers, the Madras High Court has witnessed its first-ever Tamil judgment, signalling a turning point in the movement to introduce regional language in higher judiciary proceedings.

Generally, the orders and judgments of the Madras High Court and its Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court are issued only in English. For several years, there have been pending demands before the central government to permit the use of Tamil in both official court proceedings and advocacy in these courts. Various lawyers have been consistently agitating for the publication of judgments in Tamil.

Although Chief Minister MK Stalin ordered the allocation of funds for translating High Court judgments into Tamil, the judgments have continued to be released only in English.

In this context, in a case relating to the kumbabishekam (consecration ceremony) of the Meenakshi Amman Temple, Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy of the Madurai bench of MHC delivered the judgment in both Tamil and English. This move has been widely welcomed and has generated enthusiasm among lawyers who have long been advocating for Tamil to be used as an official language in the High Court.

Further, Justice Bharatha Chakravarthy's decision to issue the judgment in both English and Tamil is seen as a significant initiative. Lawyers have also expressed pride, stating that this is the first time in the history of the Madras High Court and its Madurai Bench that a judgment has been delivered in Tamil.

Speaking to DT Next, retired Justice N Kirubakaran said that the release of a judgment in Tamil is highly welcome. However, he noted that since English remains the official language of the Supreme Court and High Courts, it is essential to retain English as well. He added that English serves as a unifying language, and in its absence, there is a risk of dominance by other languages.

He therefore suggested that while judgments may continue to be issued in English, they should also be translated and released in Tamil.

Speaking to DT Next, advocate BB Mohan described the move as a revolutionary judgment. He said that Justice Bharatha Chakravarthy deserves credit for upholding Tamil pride. He added that this judgment serves as a guiding light for young lawyers educated in the Tamil medium and described it as a "golden day" for Tamil Nadu.

In the history of the Supreme Court of India, in July 2019, the judgment in the case involving P Rajagopal, owner of the Saravana Bhavan, who sought exemption from surrender, was translated into Tamil for the first time and officially uploaded online.

However, for the Madras High Court and its Madurai Bench, this is the first instance of a judgment being delivered in Tamil.