Power of High Court to require evidence to be recorded in English
Full Text
(1) The High Court may, by notification in the Official Gazette, direct with respect to any Judge specified in the notification, or falling under a description set forth therein, that evidence in cases in which an appeal is allowed shall be taken down by him in the English language and in manner prescribed.
(2) Where a Judge is prevented by any sufficient reason from complying with a direction under sub-section (1), he shall record the reason and cause the evidence to be taken down in writing from his dictation in open Court.
Plain English Summary
Section 138 empowers the High Court to notify that designated subordinate judges record witness depositions in English in appealable civil cases, and provides that if prevented from writing personally, the judge must record reasons and have the evidence taken down by open-court dictation.
Key Legal Elements
- High Court Notification: High Court issues official gazette notification directing designated trial judges to record evidence in English.
- Appeals Criteria: Applies specifically to civil cases where an appeal is permitted by law.
- Dictation in Open Court (Sub-section 2): If the judge is prevented by sufficient cause from recording personally in English, reasons must be recorded and testimony taken down via open-court dictation.
Practical Note
Recording Evidence in English for Appellate Efficiency (Order XVIII Interplay): 1. Facilitating Appellate Scrutiny: Section 138 works alongside Order XVIII Rules 5 to 9. By requiring depositions in appealable matters to be transcribed in English, the High Court streamlines the appellate paper-book process, eliminating the delay and expense of translating regional trial court testimonies during first and second appeals. 2. Open Court Stenographic Dictation: Sub-section (2) provides practical flexibility, permitting the presiding judge to dictate witness depositions to a court stenographer or typist in open court rather than hand-writing lengthy depositions in his own hand.
हिंदी पाठ
(1) उच्च न्यायालय, राजपत्र (Official Gazette) में अधिसूचना द्वारा, अधिसूचना में विनिर्दिष्ट या उसमें वर्णित किसी वर्ग में आने वाले किसी न्यायाधीश के संबंध में यह निदेश दे सकेगा कि ऐसे मामलों में जिनमें अपील अनुज्ञात है, उसके द्वारा साक्ष्य अंग्रेजी भाषा में और विहित रीति से लिखा जाएगा।
(2) जहां कोई न्यायाधीश किसी पर्याप्त कारण से उपधारा (1) के अधीन निदेश का पालन करने में असमर्थ रहता है, वहां वह उस कारण को अभिलिखित करेगा और खुली अदालत में अपने बोलकर लिखाने (डिक्टेशन) द्वारा साक्ष्य को लिखित रूप में तैयार करवाएगा।