Mon Apr 28 12:30:00 UTC 2025: ## Supreme Court Rejects Challenge to Telugu Language Requirement for Telangana Judges
**NEW DELHI** – The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a plea challenging the Telangana government’s mandate that judicial appointees must be proficient in Telugu. The petitioner, Mohd Shujath Hussain, argued that the new rules, implemented in June 2023, unfairly excluded Urdu speakers. He contended that Urdu, recognized as a second official language in Telangana, is a vital part of the state’s cultural fabric and should be an acceptable alternative. Hussain, who received his education in Urdu, claimed the requirement placed an undue burden on him and others similarly situated.
However, the Supreme Court bench, comprising Justices BR Gavai and Augustine George Masih, declined to hear the case. The court noted that the rules simply *added* Telugu as a requirement, not excluding other languages. The Telangana High Court had previously rejected the same plea, upholding the state government’s decision as a policy matter based on Telugu’s prevalence in the state. The new rules include an examination component requiring translation between English and Telugu.
First Piper 