The Centre has told the Rajya Sabha that proposals to use regional languages in five high courts were declined by the Supreme Court’s Full Court.

Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal was replying to a question on the use of regional languages in high courts. He said the government had received proposals from Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Karnataka.

The proposals sought permission to use Tamil, Gujarati, Hindi, Bengali and Kannada in the Madras, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Calcutta and Karnataka high courts.

Meghwal said the advice of the Chief Justice of India was sought. The Full Court of the Supreme Court decided not to accept the proposals after due deliberations.

Tamil Nadu had made a fresh request to review the earlier decision. The Chief Justice conveyed that the Full Court decided not to approve it and reiterated its earlier stand.

At present, Hindi is authorised in the Allahabad, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan high courts. Under the Constitution, proceedings in the Supreme Court and high courts must be in English.