Context: The recent Haryana Government’s decision to enforce the use of Hindi language in all courts and tribunals across the state has been challenged in the Supreme Court.
Arguments

• Their petition contends that the Haryana Official Language (Amendment) Act of 2020 has unconstitutionally and arbitrarily imposed Hindi as the sole official language to be used in lower courts across the State.
• The lawyers have argued that English is widely used by advocates and the subordinate judiciary in lower courts in justice administration work.
• The imposition of Hindi as the sole language would result in an unreasonable classification between lawyers who are fluent in Hindi and those who are not.
• They argued that the amendment was a violation of the fundamental right to equality, freedom to practice a profession of choice, dignity and livelihood.

Those favoring Hindi:

• They won’t feel alien in their own country, if Hindi is made the language for usage in office.
• The Haryana cabinet expressed its interest to get the Hindi language authorized for use in the courts so that the citizens of Haryana can understand the entire process as it will be in their own language and it will also enable them to easily put their views before the Courts.

Language of Court:

• Article 348 (1) of the Constitution of India provides that all proceedings in the Supreme Court and in every High Court shall be in the English Language until Parliament by law otherwise provides.
• (2) The State Government may declare what shall be the language of any such Court and in what character applications to and proceedings in such Courts shall be written.