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Can use general Urdu, Persian words in FIRs, avoid archaic usage: HC clarifies
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the police to refrain the use of archaic Urdu and Persian words while registering the FIRs.
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the police to refrain the use of archaic Urdu and Persian words while registering the FIRs.
A bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar, however, clarified that Urdu and Persian words of general use can be used.
The court was hearing a plea filed by Vishalakshi Goel, a lawyer who had challenged the use of Urdu and Persian words in FIRs. Hearing the plea, the court on an earlier date had called for a list of words used by the police in FIRs.
On November 25, the court was given a list of 383 words. The police informed the court that it had already issued a circular to the police officers to refrain from using such words. Following this, the court had asked 100 FIRs, 10 each from 10 different police stations, to see if FIRs are being lodged in simple language.
Some of these words include Mosul (received), zimni (case diary), adampata (address not found), nazd (near), mustabha (suspicious) among others.
On Wednesday, the court, after monitoring the FIRs, noted that some Urdu and Persian words are still being used in FIRs. It asked police not to use difficult words. It noted that some Urdu and Persian words that figured in the FIRs were not used in common parlance.
“Archaic Urdu and Persian words ought not to be utilised and that is what we intended to convey by our August 7 order in a separate pending PIL before us. Urdu and Persian words of general use can be used,” the court said.
Following this, the court disposed of the plea and asked Delhi police to publish a list of 383 words on Delhi police’s website along with their meanings so that police and public can understand their meaning.
The bench said the list in the circular was not exhaustive and the police may add or subtract words.
