SCAORA Highlights AORs’ Translation Challenges, Seeks CJI’s Nod to Re-Establish Official Translator Pool in Supreme Court
Kiran Raj
The Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA) has written to Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, drawing attention to the challenges faced by Advocates-on-Record (AoRs) in obtaining accurate and reliable translations of vernacular documents for submissions before the Supreme Court. The letter, sent by SCAORA President Vipin Nair, requests the re-establishment of an official pool of translators within the Supreme Court premises, a facility that was previously available.
The letter is seen as an aftermath of a hearing before the Bench of Justice JK Maheshwari and Justice Aravind Kumar, where the Court orally took a strong critical stand against incorrect and mistranslated documents submitted in a matter. The Bench had asked SCAORA to examine how AoRs could address such issues, including forming a pool of translators and considering institutional changes.
SCAORA flagged concerns that AoRs are often compelled to rely on private translation services, which are expensive and prone to errors. The Association stated that this financial burden is passed on to litigants, affecting access to justice and contributing to procedural delays.
The Association proposed reinstating an official pool of translators within the Court complex. It stated that the objectives include providing access to recognized translators to ensure accuracy and legal consistency, creating a standardized fee structure to prevent overcharging, enabling prompt translations to reduce delays, and ensuring that translations meet the quality standards required for court admissibility.
SCAORA noted that such a facility would be in accordance with Order VII Rules 2-4 of the Supreme Court Rules, 2013.The letter also requested that AoRs be granted access to the software used by the Supreme Court for translating judgments from vernacular languages, through a password-protected system linked to AoR Codes, similar to the e-filing portal.
Additionally, SCAORA proposed that High Courts be directed to make vernacular documents, including FIRs, charge sheets, and trial court orders, available in English prior to final arguments. Alternatively, it suggested that State governments appoint official translators at the district court level to translate documents at the earliest stage of litigation, with costs borne by litigants, similar to certified copy fees.
SCAORA stated that implementing these measures would significantly reduce translation-related delays in the Supreme Court and improve access to justice for litigants across India.
