Chennai: Advocates allowed indefinite fast for making Tamil official language in high court

After a group of advocates led by G Bhagavath Singh revived a protest demanding the introduction of Tamil, in addition to English, as an official language of the High Court, the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court has allowed the advocate to conduct indefinite fast in support of his demand.

Singh had filed a writ petition seeking a direction to the Madurai Commissioner of Police to permit an indefinite fast outside World Tamil Sangam building or any other place from July 27.

The group of lawyers has been demanding for over a decade that Tamil declared as an official language of the High Court. Singh said that the Legislative Assembly had passed a resolution on December 6, 2006, to introduce Tamil in orders, decrees and other proceedings of the High Court as per Article 348(2) of the Constitution.

The resolution was forwarded to the then President of India. However, the Union Law Ministry said that the resolution was examined by the Centre along with the Supreme Court and that the latter was not in favour of introducing Tamil also as an official language of the High Court.

Subsequent requests were made, but they were all turned down by the Supreme Court.

The group decided to protest over the non-implementation of the resolution. The New Indian Express reported that the petitioner was directed to give an assurance affidavit to the police regarding maintenance of tranquillity and to provide names of the members participating in the fast and of those of political leaders lending their support to the fast in person. The judge also allowed the plea to observe fast at Kalavaasal from July 27. Singh approached court after police did not respond to his request to protest.
 

• Chennai
• Advocates
• Indefinite fast
• Tamil