Indian couple make bid to overturn UK rule on spoken English

The couple says says the rule requiring people to be able to speak English is a breach of human rights.

An Indian couple in Britain has launched a legal bid to challenge a new immigration rule requiring people to be able to speak English to move to the country to be with their spouse,saying the rule is a breach of human rights.

British citizen Rashida Chapti,54,and her husband Vali Chapti,57,have launched the judicial review at the High Court to challenge the rule,which they claim contravenes their rights to a family life,their right to marry and constitutes discrimination.

The couple has been married for 37 years and has six children.

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Rashida has reportedly been travelling between India and Leicester for around 15 years but has now applied for her husband,who does not speak,read or write English,to come and live in the UK with her,the Daily Mail reports.

But under new immigration rules announced by Home Secretary Theresa May,he cannot do so due to a new English language requirement for migrants applying to come or stay in the UK as a spouse.

But the Chaptis,along with two other couples,have launched proceedings to contest it.

At the High Court sitting in Birmingham,Manjit Gill,representing the couple,told the court the requirement was a breach of their human rights.

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The rule is particularly striking in that it prevents mere residence even though one of the parties is fully entitled to live in this country, Gill said.

He said the rule discriminated against people on the grounds of nationality and race discrimination.

Gill said the measure prevented people who are British citizens and settled in the country from living with their partners.