Karnataka High Court: Parties Can File Applications in Kannada Before State Administrative Tribunal

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Published 2 November 2026

Case: S.G. Raju v. The State of Karnataka
Court: High Court of Karnataka
Bench: Justice M. Nagaprasanna
Citation: 2024 LiveLaw (Kar) 238
Decided: 3 June 2024
Statutes: Official Languages Act, 1963 — s.7
Constitution of India — s.348
Source: LiveLaw

Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF)

In S.G. Raju v. The State of Karnataka, the Karnataka High Court, per Justice M. Nagaprasanna, held on 2024-06-03 that parties can file applications in Kannada before the State Administrative Tribunal, citing Section 7 of the Official Languages Act, 1963 and Article 348 of the Constitution.

Ratio Decidendi · Legal Principle Established

Section 7 of the Official Languages Act, 1963, read with Article 348 of the Constitution, permits the use of Hindi or the official language of a State, in addition to English, for judgments, decrees, or orders of a High Court, and by extension, for proceedings before a State Administrative Tribunal.

Practice & Procedural Impact for Advocates

Advocates can advise clients that applications before the Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal may be filed in Kannada. Litigants should ensure that any Kannada filings comply with the Tribunal's procedural rules regarding language and format. Counsel should be prepared to argue the applicability of Section 7 of the Official Languages Act, 1963, if the use of Kannada is challenged.

Key Legal Takeaways

1Kannada is permissible for applications before the Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal.
2Section 7 of the Official Languages Act, 1963, supports the use of official state languages.
3The ruling extends the principle of language use from High Courts to State Administrative Tribunals.

The Legal Issue The Karnataka High Court addressed whether parties are permitted to file applications in Kannada before the State Administrative Tribunal. The petitioner, S.G. Raju, had filed an application in Kannada, which was subsequently returned by the Tribunal's registry, citing a lack of provision for accepting applications in the local language. This led to the present petition challenging the Tribunal's decision.

Court's Reasoning Justice M. Nagaprasanna, presiding over the case, referred to Section 7 of the Official Languages Act, 1963, which allows for the use of Hindi or the official language of a State, in addition to English, for judgments, decrees, or orders of a High Court. The Court reasoned that if the official language of a State can be used in a High Court, it logically follows that it can also be used in a State Administrative Tribunal, which is a creature of statute and subordinate to the High Court. The Court also considered Article 348 of the Constitution of India, which deals with the language to be used in the Supreme Court and in the High Courts and for Acts, Bills, etc. The High Court concluded that the Tribunal's action of returning the application was unsustainable in law.

What Follows The Karnataka High Court quashed the endorsement issued by the Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal. The Tribunal was directed to accept the application filed by the petitioner in Kannada and proceed with it in accordance with law. The ruling clarifies that the official language of the state, Kannada, can be used for filing applications before the Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal.