Tamil language in Madras High Court: House re-adopts resolution, cites AI aid

CHENNAI: The Assembly on Thursday unanimously adopted a resolution urging the Union government to recognise Tamil as the principal language of the Madras High Court and take immediate steps to facilitate its use in court proceedings.

Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, who moved the resolution, said technological advances, including artificial intelligence-enabled translation, had created a favourable environment for reconsidering the long-pending demand.

Vijay pointed out that Tamil is the official language of Tamil Nadu under the Tamil Nadu Official Language Act, 1956. Sections 4-A and 4-B of the Act provide for the recording of evidence in Tamil and the issuance of judgments, decrees, and orders in Tamil in civil and criminal courts, tribunals, rent courts, and revenue courts functioning under the High Court.

He also referred to Article 348 (2) of the Constitution, which provides for the use of a State's official language in High Court proceedings with the previous consent of the President. Section 7 of the Official Languages Act, 1963, similarly provides for the use of a State's official language, in addition to English, in High Court judgments, decrees and orders, subject to the prescribed authorisation.

The Chief Minister recalled that the Assembly had unanimously passed a resolution on December 6, 2006, seeking the use of Tamil in the Madras High Court, and that it had been forwarded to the Centre.

In a reply in the Rajya Sabha in February 2018, the Union Law Ministry stated that the proposal had been referred to the Chief Justice of India. The Supreme Court's Full Court, after deliberations in October 2012, had decided not to accept the proposal.

Vijay said circumstances had changed significantly since then, with advances in legal Tamil, translation systems, e-Courts, legal databases and technology-enabled translation. He particularly highlighted developments in artificial intelligence, saying Tamil speech could now be simultaneously rendered and heard in English.

The resolution seeks procedures for filing or presenting petitions, documents, and arguments in Tamil. It also calls for all judgments, decrees and judicial orders of the High Court to be made available in Tamil.

The State has further sought training in legal Tamil and translation for judges, advocates and court personnel. It urged the Centre to take the necessary legal measures based on proposals to be forwarded by the Governor under Article 348(2) and Section 7 of the Official Languages Act.

Vijay also emphasised Tamil's antiquity and continuous literary and grammatical heritage. He recalled that the Union government recognised Tamil as a Classical Language on October 12, 2004. After a lengthy debate, Speaker JCD Prabhakar put the resolution to a voice vote. The House adopted it unanimously.