Punjab Official Languages Act, 1967
No: 5 Dated: Dec, 29 1967
The Punjab Official Languages Act, 1967
Punjab Act 5 of 1967
An Act to provide for the adaption of Punjabi as the language to be used for all or any of the official purposes of the State of Punjab.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Punjab in the Eighteenth Year of the Republic of India as follows :-
1. Short title, extent and commencement. - (1) This Act may be called the Punjab Official Language Act, 1967.
(2) It extends to the whole of the State of Punjab.
(3) It shall come into force at once.
2. Definitions. - In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires -
(a) "Punjabi" means Punjabi in Gurmukhi script;
(b) "State Government" means the Government of the State of Punjab.
3. Punjabi to be official language of the State. - The official language of the State of Punjab shall be Punjabi.
4. Government's power to notify the official purposes for which Punjabi shall be used. - This State Government may, from time to time, by notification, direct that Punjabi shall be used for such official purposes of the State and from such date as may be notified in the notification.
5. Language to be used in the Bills etc. - On and from such date as the State Government may, by notification appoint in this behalf, the language to be used in -
(a) all Bills to be introduced, or amendments thereto to be moved, in either House of the Legislature of the State,
(b) all Acts passed by the Legislature of the State,
(c) all Ordinances promulgated, by the Governor under Article 213 of the Constitution, and
(d) 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.
shall be in Punjabi :
Provided that the State Government may appoint different dates in respect of any of the purposes referred to in clauses (a) to (d) above.
6. Continuance of English language in State Legislature. - Until the Government otherwise directs by notification under section 4, English may continue to be used, in addition to the official language of the State or Hindi for the transaction of business in the Legislature of the State.