Archive · 30 Jan 2026
Gujarat HC Dismisses Plea for Non-English Court Representation
A man named Amrutlal Parmar asked the Gujarat High Court for permission to represent himself in court using his native language, Gujarati.
The court said no because the official language of the court is English.
The judges told him to ask for a lawyer through the High Court Legal Service Committee instead.
This way, he won't hurt his own case by not being able to speak in English.
Gujarat High Court dismissed Amrutlal Parmar's plea for a competence certificate to represent himself in Gujarati.
The court emphasized that English is the official language for court proceedings.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice D N Ray heard the case.
The court advised Parmar to apply for legal aid through the High Court Legal Service Committee.
The competence certificate would have allowed Parmar to appear as a party-in-person in his case.
- Who
- Amrutlal Parmar
- What
- Dismissal of plea for competence certificate to represent in Gujarati
- When
- Thursday (specific date not mentioned)
- Where
- Gujarat High Court
- Why
- Official court language is English, applicant could not represent in English
- Court
- Gujarat High Court
- Applicant
- Amrutlal Parmar
- Official Court Language
- English
- Certificate Denied
- Competence Certificate
- Reason for Denial
- Inability to represent in English
- Court's Advice
- Apply for legal aid
- Judges
- Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice D N Ray