Current legal position
As a general rule, material used in proceedings before the Supreme Court should be in English or accompanied by a translation acceptable under the Supreme Court Rules. The exact form of relief should be adapted to the case, the nature of the vernacular document, Registry requirements and any direction already passed by the Court.
- Supreme Court Rules, 2013 - Order VIII: deals with documents in languages other than English and acceptable translations.
- Registry filing scrutiny: the Supreme Court's default-list/checklist expressly checks whether an exemption application, affidavit and court fee have been filed where vernacular material is untranslated.
- Interlocutory application classification: the Supreme Court's current IA list includes categories concerning dispensing with authentic translation and exemption from appointment of an official translator.
The Supreme Court Rules page also carries subsequent amendment notifications. Always verify the latest applicable Rule, filing instruction, court-fee requirement and Registry practice before filing.
Updated specimen application
This specimen removes case-specific facts from the earlier draft and uses adaptable placeholders. The Advocate-on-Record should modify the cause title, annexure numbers, reasons and prayer to fit the actual proceeding.
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
I.A. No. ____ of 20__
IN
SPECIAL LEAVE PETITION (C) No. ____ of 20__
IN THE MATTER OF:
VERSUS
APPLICATION FOR EXEMPTION FROM FILING OFFICIAL / AUTHENTIC ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF ANNEXURE(S) [P-__ TO P-__]
TO,
THE HON'BLE CHIEF JUSTICE OF INDIA
AND HIS COMPANION JUSTICES OF
THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
The humble application of the Petitioner above named
MOST RESPECTFULLY SHOWETH:
1. That the accompanying Special Leave Petition is being filed against the judgment/order dated [date] passed by the High Court of [name of High Court] in [case number and title].
2. That the facts and grounds leading to the filing of the accompanying petition have been set out in detail therein and are not repeated in the present application for the sake of brevity.
3. That Annexure(s) [P-__ to P-__], being [briefly identify the documents], are in [name of vernacular language] / contain portions in [language].
4. That an official/authentic English translation of the said annexure(s) could not be filed at this stage due to [state the genuine reason, for example urgency, non-availability of an approved translation within the filing period, or other case-specific reason].
5. That [an English translation prepared by a person conversant with both languages is being filed / the Petitioner undertakes to file a translation if so directed by this Hon'ble Court]. The Petitioner submits that no prejudice will be caused to the Respondent(s) if the present exemption is granted.
6. That the present application is bona fide and is made in the interest of justice.
PRAYER
In the facts and circumstances stated above, it is most respectfully prayed that this Hon'ble Court may graciously be pleased to:
a) exempt the Petitioner from filing the official/authentic English translation of Annexure(s) [P-__ to P-__], subject to such terms as this Hon'ble Court may deem fit; and
b) pass such other or further order(s) as this Hon'ble Court may deem fit and proper in the facts and circumstances of the case.
FILED BY:
__________________________
ADVOCATE-ON-RECORD
FOR THE PETITIONER
Place: New Delhi
Drawn on: __________
Filed on: __________
Frequently asked questions
Is an exemption automatically granted?
No. It is a request to the Court. The Court or Registry may require compliance, a proper translation, an undertaking, or other steps depending on the case.
Should every vernacular annexure be identified?
Yes. The application should identify the specific annexure numbers or portions for which exemption is sought and explain why the required translation is not being filed.
Can this format be used for matters other than an SLP?
The drafting structure can be adapted for other Supreme Court proceedings, but the jurisdiction heading, main case number, party description and applicable filing requirements should be changed to match the proceeding.