PIL filed in Madras High Court over use of Devanagari on Rs 2,000 notes

A PIL has been filed in the Madras High Court for declaring the new Rs 2,000 currency notes as "invalid" on the ground that the value was printed in "Devanagari form of numerals", which is not authorised by the Constitution.

Petitioner K P T Ganesan, a local DMK functionary, submitted that the numerals on the note were printed in Devanagiri, which is against the Official Languages Act, 1963, under which there is no provision for use of Devanagiri numerals.

He contended that the Constitution allows the use of international form of Indian numerals for any official purpose of the Union.

Though there was a provision that Parliament may pass a law to use Devanagari form of numerals on currency notes, after 15 years of the commencement of the Constitution, such an act had not been passed, providing for the use of the Devanagari form of numerals, he contended.

Ganesan claimed under the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, there was no provision to print bank notes of Rs 2,000 denomination without the recommendation of the Central Board.

Hence, it was just and necessary to declare the currency notes of denomination Rs 2000 as "not valid", he said.

After hearing the arguments, the bench here posted the matter for hearing on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on November 8 announced demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes, making them invalid, in a major assault on black money, fake currency and corruption.