Maharashtra Official Languages Act, 1964
No: 5 Dated: Jan, 11 1965
THE MAHARASHTRAOFFICIAL LANGUAGES ACT, 1964
ACT NO. V OF 1965
An Act to provide for the adoption of languages which may be used for the official purposes of the State including purposes of the Legislature of the State.
WHEREAS, it is expedient to provide for the adoption of languages which may be used for the official purposes of the State including purposes of the Legislature of the State;
It is hereby enacted in the Fifteenth Year of the Republic of India as follows :—
1. Short title, extent and commencement:- (1) This Act may be called the Maharashtra Official Languages Act, 1964.
(2) It extends to the whole of the State of Maharashtra.
(3) This section and section 3 shall come into force on the 26th day of January 1965; and the remaining provisions of this Act shall come into †force on such date as the State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint; and different dates may be appointed for different provisions of this Act or different matters referred to in those provisions.
2. Definitions:- In this Act, unless the context requires otherwise,—
(a) “appointed day” in relation to section 3 means the 26th day of January 1965, and in relation to any other provision of this Act or any such provision in relation to any matter therein means the day on which that provision or any provision in relation to that matter comes into force;
(b) “Constitution” means the Constitution of India;
(c) “Marathi” means the Marathi language in Devnagari script which is adopted in this State under Government Resolution in the Education and Social Welfare Department, No. TBK-1762-G, dated 20th July 1962.
3. Continuance of English language for use in State Legislature:- Notwithstanding the expiration of the period of fifteen years from the commencemment of the Constitution mentioned in article 210, the English language may, as from the appointed day, continue to be used, in addition to Hindi and Marathi, for the transaction of business in the Legislature of the State.
4. Official language for official purposes of State:- Subject to the provisions of this Act, Marathi shall, as from the appointed day, be the language to be used for all official purposes referred to in article 345 of the Constitution, as respects the State of Maharashtra except such purposes as the State Government may, by rules issued from time to time in the Official Gazette, specify, and Hindi may be used as the official language for such excepted purposes.
5. Marathi language to be used in Bills, etc.:- Marathi shall, as from the appointed day, be the language to be used—
(a) in Bills introduced (or amendements thereto to be moved) in either House of the Legislature of the State;
(b) in all Acts passed by the Legislature of the State and in all Ordinances promulgated by the Governor of Maharashtra under article 213 of the Constitution;
(c) in all orders, rules, regulations and bye-laws issued by the State Government under the Constitution or under any law made by Parliament or the Legislature of the State:
Provided that the State Government may use the English language for the purposes of clauses (a) to (c), if it is satisfied that it is necessary so to do under special circumstances or for technical reasons.