DEHRADUN: The Supreme Court has intervened in a contentious national debate, staying a controversial Nainital High Court order that questioned the suitability of an official who could not speak English for election duties.This judicial intervention has reignited a vocal discussion across India about the dominance of English over Hindi in public life, prompting a critical examination of language proficiency as a prerequisite for effective governance in a multi-lingual nation.At the heart of this renewed discussion are strong voices challenging the premise of the High Court’s directive. “This is nothing but a colonial hangover,” asserted social activist Anup Nautiyal, squarely labelling the notion that only English should be spoken. He passionately argued, “We need to move beyond this English-Hindi dichotomy and the perception that ‘only English will be spoken’. As the world flattens, knowledge is also democratising. It is not a preserve of a certain community only.”Adding a crucial perspective, senior educationist and former DAV College, Dehradun Principal, Dr Devendra Bhasin, emphasised, “It is essential for everyone to respect Hindi. The development of a country happens by adopting its own language in practice; we have the examples of China and Japan.”Senior journalist Kiran Kant highlighted the practical realities within the state, stating unequivocally, “In our state, 90% of PCS officers are Hindi medium educated. If we don’t speak Hindi in our own country, where will we speak it?”The High Court decision, which drew national censure, had emerged from a petition concerning alleged irregularities in voter lists for the Budhlakot Gram Panchayat in Nainital. The petitioner claimed that non-residents, including individuals from Odisha, were improperly enrolled.During proceedings on July 18, the High Court specifically sought answers from the Chief Secretary and State Election Commission on a pivotal question: “Can an officer who is unable to speak English effectively control election duties?”
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