The Delhi High Court has dismissed a plea seeking a direction to the Delhi University to conduct the entrance examination for the LLB course in Hindi language.
A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice R S Endlaw dismissed the public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Shailendra Mani Tripathi saying that judgements are pronounced and reported primarily in English language.
"We cannot shut our eyes also to the fact that the language of the courts, particularly in Delhi, primarily remains English and the judgements of the courts are pronounced and reported in English language," the court said.
"Use of English language is also necessitated owing to the present day policy of transfer of Judges of the High Court and of the Chief Justice being necessarily from another Court and who may or may not be versed in the Hindi language," the court said.
The plea had sought a direction to the Delhi University to conduct the entrance examination for the LLB course in Hindi language on the ground that Union Public Service Commission and certain Central Universities are holding examination in Hindi language.
The petition had contended that since the LLB semester examinations were permitted to be taken in Hindi, so the same may be allowed for the entrance exams as well.
The counsel for Delhi University, however, said the entrance examination stands in different category as it is an objective test while the semester examinations were permitted to be taken in Hindi on the assumption that the students though may understand English language, may not be able to express themselves properly.
The counsel further stated that if the candidates cannot even read or understand English language, they would not be able to reap benefit of the teaching in English language or the case material and the other prescribed reading material which is invariably in English language.
The petition was earlier also dismissed by a single-judge bench of the high court after which the petitioner filed an appeal before the division bench.
