'Urdu Is Not Alien To India': SC Rejects Plea Against Use Of Urdu On Signboards In Maharashtra

The Supreme Court on April 15 rejected the challenge to the use of Urdu on the signboard of a Municipality in Maharashtra, LiveLaw reported. The court ruling came as a former councillor reportedly had filed a petition challenging the use of Urdu on the signboard of the Patur Municipal Council building in Akola district of Maharashtra.

On Tuesday, the bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and K Vinod Chandran refused to interfere with the Bombay High Court라이브 바카라 finding that the use of Urdu is not prohibited under the Maharashtra Local Authorities (Official Languages) Act, 2022, or in any provision of law.

The top court said it is a “misconception that Urdu is alien to India”, adding that “it is a language which was born in this land”.

What Did The Top Court Say?

“Let us make friends with Urdu and every language”, Supreme Court said after hearing the above-mentioned petition.

Rejecting the plea, SC further said, "Our misconceptions, perhaps even our prejudices against a language have to be courageously and truthfully tested against the reality, which is the great diversity of our nation."

The Court dismissed a petition challenging the Bombay High Court's judgment which allowed the use of Urdu on the signboard of the new building of the Municipal Council, Patur in district Akola, Maharashtra.

A bench of the Supreme Court, consisting of Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and Justice K Vinod Chandran, ruled that using an extra language like Urdu on signboards does not violate the Maharashtra Local Authorities (Official Languages) Act, 2022. The court noted that the Act does not ban the use of Urdu.

The judges said that including Urdu is simply meant to help with "effective communication," and that language diversity should be respected.

Justice Dhulia, who wrote the judgment, made several important remarks about the value of India라이브 바카라 linguistic diversity. The court emphasized that language should not become a reason for dividing people.

The case was brought by a former member of the Municipal Council in Patur, Akola district, Maharashtra. She argued that the use of Urdu in any form was not allowed. Initially, she approached the Municipal Council, which dismissed her claim, stating that using Urdu alongside Marathi on signboards was appropriate.

She then filed an application under the Maharashtra Municipal Council, Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Township Act, 1965. The application was allowed, with a ruling that government communications should use 100% Marathi (Rajbhasha). However, this decision was later overturned by the Divisional Commissioner of Amravati.

Challenging that reversal, she filed a petition before the Bombay High Court, which also dismissed her plea. The current appeal before the Supreme Court followed that decision.