On Friday, the Supreme Court affirmed the necessity for judicial candidates to be familiar with the local language as a valid criterion for appointment. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, along with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, dismissed a petition challenging this condition imposed by the Public Service Commissions of Punjab, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Odisha.
The bench emphasised that the requirement for judicial officers to be proficient in the local language is justified. They highlighted that judicial officers need to interact with witnesses and handle evidence in the local language once appointed. Therefore, this criterion is entirely reasonable and falls within the policy domain, the Court stated, rejecting the Public Interest Litigation.
This decision reinforces the importance of language proficiency for effective judicial functioning in various states.
