Final hearing on Kannada language row in February

 
A bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan said it would hear the final arguments in February as the written submission had been completed.

Advocate Mohan Katarki, appearing for the Association of Management of Government Recognised Private Schools, opposed the imposition of Kannada as a compulsory medium of instruction at the primary level in private unaided schools.

The apex court had on July 21, 2008 declined to stay the Karnataka High Court ruling that had quashed the State Government’s decision to make Kannada a compulsory medium of instruction.

Following petitions by a number of private school societies, the high court had initiated contempt proceedings against officials of the State Education Department for declining permission to start English medium schools.

The CJI had earlier observed that language should be of universal advantage to students. “Some get advantage in life because of language,’’ Justice Balakrishnan had said while brushing aside the arguments of the Karnataka Government on the last day of hearing.