Saturday, July 12, 2025
spot_img

States can’t make linguistic minorities choose mother tongue, rules SC

Date:

Share post:

spot_imgspot_img

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday said states in India have no powers to compel the children of linguistic minorities to choose the language considered to be the mother tongue in a state as a medium of instruction at primary level.
A constitution bench of Chief Justice R.M. Lodha, Justice A.K.Patnaik, Justice Sudhansu Jyoti Mukhopadhaya, Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Fakkir Mohamed Ibrahim Kalifulla said: “We hold that the state has no power under article 350A of the constitution to compel the linguistic minorities to choose their mother tongue only as a medium of instruction in primary schools.”
“Article 350A (Facilities for instruction in mother-tongue at the primary stage) therefore cannot be interpreted to empower the state to compel a linguistic minority to choose its mother tongue only as a medium of instruction in a primary school established by it in violation of this fundamental right under article 30(1)”, said Justice Patnaik speaking for the bench.
The court’s decision came while dismissing a plea challenging the Karnataka High Court order holding that children of linguistic minorities could not be compelled to take Kannada as a medium of instruction in primary classes.
The Karnataka government had challenged the high court verdict which had set aside the State government order making Kannada a mandatory medium of instruction in all schools at primary level.
“Mother tongue in the context of the constitution would, therefore, mean the language of the linguistic minority in a State and it is the parent or the guardian of the child who will decide what the mother tongue of child is,” the constitution bench of the court ruled.
The court said that the Constitution nowhere provides that mother tongue is the language which the child is comfortable with. (IANS)

spot_imgspot_img

Related articles

DRDO and IAF successfully test Astra BVRAAM with indigenous radio frequency seeker from Su-30 Mk-I

New Delhi, July 11: In a significant boost to India's self-reliance in defence technology, the Defence Research and...

Mayank Yadav’s rehab likely to start in coming weeks after undergoing surgery in Christchurch

New Delhi, July 11: Tearaway fast bowler Mayank Yadav is likely to begin his long rehab in the...

Pakistan: 98 killed, 185 injured as monsoon rains wreak havoc

Islamabad, July 11: Torrential monsoon rains and flash floods have claimed at least 98 lives and left 185...

India’s purchase of Russian oil helped bring down global prices: Hardeep Puri

New Delhi, July 11: Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri said on Friday that India’s...