HC notice over use of archaic Persian, Urdu in police work

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice to the central government and city police on a plea seeking directions to replace "archaic and difficult words and phrases" of Persian and Urdu language with simple Hindi or English words for day-to-day work at police stations.

A division bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath sought response from the union home ministry and Delhi Police commissioner on the plea.

The petition filed by an advocate Amit Sahni opposed the use of "Urdu and Persian words in proceedings at police stations, recording of statements, submitting of challan in courts, etc".

Police personnel are trained at the Police Training College here to use Urdu and Persian words, and "it is not only cumbersome for Delhi Police officers, who have to learn these archaic Urdu/Persian words but also for accused/counsel and even judicial officers to learn these words in order to understand the proceedings of police", the plea said.

"The practice of using Persian and Urdu words in police complaints is common, but many states have issued directions to discontinue the usage of such perplexing terms," it added.