Question

Which is the authority that determines the language of the Court other than High Court within a given State, under Section 271 of Cr.PC

• A. State government
• B. Central government
• C. Supreme Court of India
• D. (a) and (b)

Hint:

Remember that under India's federal structure, the administration of subordinate courts, including their language, is primarily a state subject. The State Government determines the language for both civil courts (under CPC) and criminal courts (under CrPC).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Note: The question incorrectly refers to Section 271 of CrPC. The relevant section is Section 272 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The question asks which authority has the power to determine the language of the subordinate criminal courts (courts other than the High Court) within a state.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Section 272 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, is titled "Language of Courts." It states:
"The State Government may determine what shall be, for purposes of this Code, the language of every Court within the State other than the High Court."
This provision gives the exclusive power to the State Government to decide the official language to be used in all criminal proceedings in the subordinate courts (like the courts of Magistrates and Sessions Judges) within its territory. The language of the High Court is determined by separate constitutional provisions (Article 348).
The Central Government or the Supreme Court does not have a role in determining the language of subordinate courts in a state.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The State Government determines the language of all criminal courts within the state, other than the High Court.