The Supreme Court of India has ruled in favor of using Urdu on the signboards of a Municipal Council in Maharashtra, stating that Urdu and Marathi both have equal constitutional status. The court also clarified that Urdu is an Indian language and should not be linked to any one religion.
A two-judge bench, including Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and Justice K Vinod Chandran, gave this judgment while rejecting a petition filed by Varshatai Sanjay Bagade, a former councillor from Patur town in Akola district. Bagade had argued that only Marathi should be used on the new building’s nameplate since it is the state’s official language.
But the court disagreed. “Marathi is the official language, but that does not mean other languages like Urdu, which are listed in the Constitution’s Eighth Schedule, cannot be used,” the bench said.
The judges added that many people wrongly believe Urdu is foreign. “The prejudice against Urdu stems from the misconception that Urdu is alien to India,” the court said.
“Urdu, like Hindi and Marathi, is an Indian language. It developed in India to help people from different backgrounds communicate.”
The court began the ruling with a quote by writer Mouloud Benzadi: “When you learn a language, you don’t just learn to speak and write a new language. You also learn to be open-minded, liberal, tolerant, kind and considerate towards all mankind.”
The bench criticized the idea of separating Hindi and Urdu based on religion, calling it a harmful result of colonial policies.
“Language is not religion. Language does not even represent religion. Language belongs to a community, to a region, to people – and not to a religion,” the court said.
It also pointed out that Urdu has made rich cultural and historical contributions to Indian society. “Even our legal system uses many Urdu words like Adalat (court), halafnama (affidavit), and vakalatnama (power of attorney),” the judgment noted.
The court reminded that several Indian states—like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Telangana, and West Bengal—as well as Union Territories like Delhi and Jammu & Kashmir, recognize Urdu as one of their official languages.
On the specific issue of the signboard, the court said, “A Municipal Council serves local people. If Urdu-speaking people live in the area, adding Urdu alongside Marathi is absolutely justified.”
Finally, the bench highlighted that language should unite, not divide: “Language is a medium for the exchange of ideas that brings people holding diverse views and beliefs closer. It should not become a cause of their division.”
