HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court on Wednesday sought a response from the state government regarding a PIL challenging the use of English in official communications instead of Telugu. The PIL was filed by G Uma Maheshwar Rao, a resident of Serilingampally, and a bench comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice J Sreenivas Rao issued notices to the chief secretary and key state government departments.
The PIL urged the court to direct the state government to implement the provisions of the Official Language Act, 1966, along with various government orders (GOs) mandating Telugu as the sole official language. The petitioner expressed concerns that, despite multiple directives, English continues to be used in official documents such as government orders, ordinances, laws, and correspondence, instead of Telugu.
The petitioner cited several GOs, including GO 587 dated October 28, 1988; GO 131 dated March 26, 1987; GO 455 dated August 22, 1992; and GO 420 dated September 13, 2005, which emphasize the use of Telugu for official communication. He argued that the state’s failure to comply with these GOs and the Official Language Act violated Article 14 (right to equality), Article 19(1)(a) (freedom of speech and expression), and Article 345 (official language of the state) of the Indian Constitution.
The PIL further contends that the continued use of English in official correspondence alienates citizens, leading to an uninformed public and creating a democratic deficit that undermines the principles of governance.
