Prohibiting the use of Hindi during its proceedings, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has made it clear that a litigant, who appears before it as party-in-person, must submit documents in English only.
‘Delusion’
The green panel said that according to Rule 33 of the NGT (Practice and Procedure) Rules, 2011, the proceedings of the tribunal have to be conducted only in English.
The clarification came while hearing a review plea filed by Ojaswi Party seeking restoration of its earlier petition, which was dismissed by the NGT for not submitting an English translation of documents.
“The plea submits that the applicants were under the delusion that Hindi being the national language, the tribunal must entertain applications moved in Hindi. However, now his delusion is removed and he understands that business of the tribunal has to be conducted in English as per Rule 33 of the NGT (Practice and Procedure) Rules, 2011...Considering these submissions and the record before us, which reveals that the English version of original appeal was filed on September 24, 2015, we allow this application and restore the application to the file. However all the applications moved therein in Hindi without there being English translation on record would stand dismissed,” a Bench headed by Justice U. D. Salvi said. —PTI
