Madras High Court declines to stay new criminal laws but seeks Centre's response on Hindi nomenclature

The Madras High Court declined to stay the implementation of three new criminal law Bills passed by the Indian Parliament, which aim to replace the Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, and Indian Evidence Act. A public interest litigation (PIL) challenging these laws raised concerns about the Hindi nomenclature of the new laws, arguing it imposes a cultural hegemony and violates the linguistic diversity enshrined in the Constitution. The court issued notices to the Union Government seeking responses on the Hindi nomenclature issue. The PIL was filed by advocate G R Mohan, who contended that the new laws would lead to confusion among non-Hindi speakers and undermine the federal structure of the nation. The court has scheduled the next hearing for August 18.