CHENNAI: Madras High Court on Monday stated that a strong foundation with a good repertoire of English law books translated in Tamil holds the key for succeeding in the endeavour to make it an officiating language of the courts.
Justice G Jayachandran made the observation while hearing a petition filed by G Bhagavat Singh seeking permission to hold a fast unto death in Chennai demanding Tamil be made the court language. The mere staging of such protests, which the court cannot endorse, will not ensure the desired outcome. Only a strong foundation built of Tamil translations of English law books will help in this regard, he said.
Recalling that his own efforts, when he was the law secretary of the state government, were cold-shouldered, the judge said that at least ten lawyers should prepare and come out with a Tamil legal glossary of ten words each.
“This initiative has to come from the people and not from the government alone. We must ensure all law books are properly translated into normal Tamil and not using incomprehensible words,” the judge said, adding that High Court verdicts must also be translated into Tamil. He cautioned that laws in the future may come out in Hindi entirely.
Justice Jayachandran, however, pointed out that there are a few lawyers who are advancing in Tamil in the High Court by using simple words which are easy to understand.