PM Modi lauds Chief Justice Chandrachud for backing translation of SC judgments into local languages

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday lauded Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud’s comments on making Supreme Court judgments available in regional languages using artificial technology.

The Chief Justice had expressed his views on removing the language barrier yesterday at an event organised by the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa in Mumbai.

Sharing a video of Chandrachud speaking at the event, the Prime Minister in a tweet said: The CJI spoke of the need to work towards making SC judgments available in regional languages. He also suggested the use of technology for it. This is a laudatory thought, which will help many people, particularly youngsters,”

The Prime Minister said, “India has several languages, which add to our cultural vibrancy.” He also said the Central Government is “undertaking numerous efforts to encourage Indian languages including giving the option of studying subjects like engineering and medicine in one’s Matra Bhasha.”

CJI Chandrachud had on Saturday indicated the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in giving translated copies of judgements in all Indian languages. The CJI said he had met with a professor of Madras who works in AI  “and the next step is to give translated copies of judgements in all Indian languages”.

Speaking at the event in Mumbai he also said teachers of law and students will benefit from watching and discussing live issues before the Supreme Court.

Stressing the importance of technology in removing barriers to access to information, CJI Chandrachud said his mission for technology is to reach out to those who don’t have access.

Speaking at an event in October, PM Modi had said since obscurity of law creates complexity, new laws should be written in lucid manner and in regional languages to bring in “ease of justice” so that even the poor can easily understand them. Legal language should not become a hurdle for citizens, he had pointed out.

He had spoken of the matter earlier in May as well, at an event attended by then Chief Justice NV Ramana. “This is a serious issue… It will take some time… There are lots of hurdles, bottlenecks, hiccups in the implementation of regional languages in High Courts,” Justice Ramana had said.

The Prime Minister’s tweets today came amid a stand-off between the government and the judiciary over the issue of judicial appointments, in which the government seeks a bigger role.

Union law minister Kiren Rijiju had cited a retired judge’s comment on the subject to push through the government’s viewpoint in what he called “sane views” of “the majority”.