MRS. VARSHATAI W/O. SH. SANJAY BAGADE versus THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITS SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUDICIARY, MANTRALAYA, MUMBAI AND ORS. ETC.

Citation: [2025] 4 S.C.R. 625 · Decided: 14-04-2025 · Supreme Court of India · Bench: SUDHANSHU DHULIA · Disposal: Dismissed
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Judgment (excerpt)

[2025] 4 S.C.R. 625 : 2025 INSC 486
Mrs. Varshatai w/o. Sh. Sanjay bagade  
v.  
The State of Maharashtra through its Secretary, Ministry of 
Law and Judiciary, Mantralaya, Mumbai and Ors. Etc.
(Civil Appeal No(s). 5187-5188 of 2025)
15 April 2025
[Sudhanshu Dhulia* and K. Vinod Chandran, JJ.]
Issue for Consideration
Issue arose whether use of Urdu on a signboard of the building of 
Municipal Council in Maharashtra is violative of any provision of law.
Headnotes†
Maharashtra Municipal Council, Nagar Panchayats and 
Industrial Township Act, 1965 – ss.308, 318 – Maharashtra 
Local Authorities (Official Languages) Act, 2022 – Use of 
Urdu on the signboard of the Municipality in Maharashtra – 
Board displaying the name of the Municipal Council on its 
building in Marathi at the top with translation below in Urdu 
language – Challenged by the appellant-former member of 
Municipal Council – High Court held that 2022 Act does not 
prohibit the use of an additional language which is Urdu 
in the instant case, on the signboard of Municipal Council 
building – Interference with: 
Held: Not called for – High Court was right in its conclusion – 
There is no prohibition on using any other language, especially 
one included in the VIIIth Schedule of the Constitution – Enactment 
recognizes that language essentially is a tool of communication 
which cannot be condemned, when this language is being used 
by a community or group – Marathi and Urdu occupy the same 
position under Schedule VIII of the Constitution – Purpose for use 
of Urdu is merely communication – Municipal Council is there to 
provide services to the local community of the area and cater to 
their immediate day-to-day needs – If people or a group of people, 
residing within the area covered by the Municipal Council are familiar 
with Urdu, then there should not be any objection if Urdu is used in 
addition to the official language-Marathi, at least on the signboard 
* Author
626
[2025] 4 S.C.R.
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of the Municipal Council – Language is a medium for exchange of 
ideas that brings people holding diverse views and beliefs closer 
and it should not become a cause of their division – Display of 
an additional language cannot, by itself, be said to be in violation 
of the provisions of the 2022 Act – No prohibition on the use of 
Urdu under the 2022 Act or in any provision of law – Case of the 
appellant based on a misconception of law. [Paras 15, 19, 46, 49]
Language – Urdu language – Usage and recognition – Prejudice 
against Urdu – Elucidation:
Held: Urdu is the finest specimen of ganga-jamuni tahzeeb, or 
the Hindustani tahzeeb, which is the composite cultural ethos 
of the plains of northern and central India – Urdu was the sixth 
most spoken scheduled language of India – It is spoken by at 
least a part of the population in all States and Union Territories, 
except the north-eastern States – Prejudice against Urdu, arises 
from the misconception that Urdu is alien to India, however, 
it is incorrect as Urdu, like Marathi and Hindi, is Indo-Aryan 
language – Urdu language was born in this land, it developed 
and flourished in India and attained ever greater refinement and 
became the language of choice for many acclaimed poets – Even 
today, language used by the common people of the country is 
replete with words of Urdu language – One cannot have a day-
to-day conversation in Hindi without using words of Urdu or words 
derived from Urdu – Urdu words have a heavy influence on Court 
parlance, both in criminal and civil law – Influence of Urdu writ 
large in the language of Indian courts – Urdu language has been 
adopted by many States and Union Territories in India as the 
second official language in exercise of powers conferred by Art. 
345 – Furthermore, Urdu and Hindi are not two languages, but 
is one language, both having broad similarities – Constitution of 
India. [Paras 18, 20, 27, 37-39, 41]
Language – Language and religion – Primary purpose of a 
language – Explanation:
Held: 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 – Language is culture – Language is the 
yardstick to measure the civilizational march of a community and 
its people – Primary purpose of a language will always remain 
communication – Language as a representative of culture makes 
[2025] 4 S.C.R. 
627
Mrs. Varshatai w/o. Sh. Sanjay bagade v. The State of M
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