🇮🇳 Article 348 of the Indian Constitution
Title: Language to be used in the Supreme Court and in the High Courts and for Acts, Bills, etc.
🔷 Explanation of Article 348:
Article 348 specifies the official language(s) to be used in the judiciary and for legislative documents at both the Union and State levels.
✅ Clause-wise Breakdown:
🔹 Clause (1):
Unless otherwise provided by Parliament:
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Language of Supreme Court and High Courts:
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Proceedings in the Supreme Court and High Courts shall be in English.
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Language of authoritative texts:
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The authoritative texts of:
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All Bills to be introduced in Parliament or State Legislature,
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Acts, Ordinances, Orders, Rules, and Regulations issued by the President or Governors,
shall be in English.
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🔹 Clause (2):
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Governor of a State may, with prior consent of the President, authorize the use of Hindi or any other State language in the proceedings of the High Court of that State.
🔹 Clause (3):
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Parliament may by law prescribe use of Hindi or any other language for specified purposes.
🟢 Key Points:
| Aspect | Provision |
|---|---|
| Language of Court Proceedings | English (by default) in Supreme Court & High Courts |
| Exception | States can use Hindi/other languages in High Court proceedings with President’s consent |
| Language of Laws and Bills | Authoritative versions must be in English |
| Power to Change | Parliament can enact a law to prescribe a different language |
📌 Purpose of Article 348:
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Ensures uniformity and clarity in the legal system.
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Prevents misinterpretation of laws across states.
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Allows gradual shift to regional languages with checks and approval.
📝 Examples:
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High Courts in states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar use Hindi (with President's permission).
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Supreme Court functions only in English.
Here is a comparison chart between Article 347 and Article 348 of the Indian Constitution:
🗂️ Comparison Chart: Article 347 vs Article 348
| Aspect | Article 347 | Article 348 |
|---|---|---|
| Title | Special provision for language spoken by a section of the population | Language to be used in the Supreme Court, High Courts, and for Acts, Bills, etc. |
| Main Focus | Recognizing minority/regional languages within a State | Prescribing official language of courts and legal documents |
| Applies To | Linguistic minorities in a State | Supreme Court, High Courts, Parliament, Governors, President |
| Who Acts | President of India, on receiving demand from a substantial section of the population | Parliament (can make law), President, Governor (with President’s consent) |
| Default Language | Any regional/minority language based on demand | English (for courts and legislation) |
| Exception | If a large population demands, their language can be recognized officially | Hindi/State language can be used in High Courts with President’s permission |
| Purpose | To protect and recognize minority languages for official use within a state | To ensure uniformity in the judicial system and legislation |
| Example | Urdu allowed for official use in certain areas of Bihar | Hindi permitted in High Courts of UP, MP, Rajasthan, and Bihar; Supreme Court uses only English |
📝 Summary:
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🗣️ Article 347 = Ensures representation of minority languages in a State’s official functions.
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⚖️ Article 348 = Establishes English as the default language of law and justice, with room for change through legal provisions.
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