Lieutenant-Governor V.K. Saxena has instructed government departments to do away with the Colonial practice of using “archaic language” in official communication and documents, Raj Niwas sources said on Wednesday.
Mr. Saxena said that such words and terms still being utilised for official purposes in departments like the police, land records and the lower judiciary be changed and updated as per the “contemporary linguistic needs” of the people.
The move would mean doing away with the use of Farsi in official communication and documentation, sources said. The aim of doing away with archaic language in official communication is intended to positively impact the interface between the citizens and the government, in the runup to the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations this year.
Mr. Saxena issued the directions after chairing a review meeting on ‘Ease of Doing Business’ recently. It is to make dealing with government departments “easier and people-friendly.”
Sources said the L-G has asked Home and Revenue Department officials to simplify the language used in police summons, FIRs, land records, mutation and registry documents and several others to make them comprehensible for the general public.
List of reforms
“It was suggested by him that even as government departments start this exercise, the courts could be requested to simplify the language being used in various legal matters and documents,” a source said.
Sources said the L-G also instructed officials to prepare a department-wise list of reforms that could be introduced to make the system transparent and more people-friendly. He also asked the departments concerned to seek public opinion on such matters and, based on the feedback and viability of the suggestions, introduce specific reforms.
