'Reply in English only': Madras HC directs Centre to follow provisions of Official Languages Act

Citing the Official Languages Act, the Madras High Court has directed the Centre to give reply in English if the representation is made in the said language, saying it was the "duty" of the union government to do so. Justices N Kirubakaran and M Duraisamy, responding to a PIL filed by Madurai CPI-M MP Su Venkatesan said that according to the Constitution, every person was entitled to give representation in any language used in the Union or the state.

The Official Languages Act also says the same, they said on Thursday.

"It is the duty of the union government to reply in English if representation was given in that language," the bench said.


In his plea, the MP had sought a direction to the Centre that it should use only English language in all communication between Central and state governments. He had earlier received reply in Hindi from the Union Home Ministry in response to a query regarding setting up examination centres for CRPF recruitment in Tamil Nadu.

In a tweet, Venkatesan said the court had directed that if elected representatives write to the Centre in English, the reply should be given only in the same language.