KARNATAKA OFFICIAL LANGUAGE ACT, 1963

26 of 1963

January 17, 1974 

STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS KARNATAKA ACT No. 27 OF 1974 Karnataka Gazette, Extraordinary, dated 17-1-1974 Government have recently re-organised the Translation Department by creating the Directorate of Languages and have also constituted an Experts' Committee called the Official Language (Legislative) Experts' Committee for the scrutiny of the translation made by the Directorate of Languages of the State Acts and Central Acts. The Kannada translations after scrutiny by the Committee, are being published. 2. As the Kannada versions of the Acts and rules published have no authority of law it is considered necessary to make a provision in the Official Language Act declaring that a translation of any Central or State Act or any Ordinance promulgated by the President or by the Governor or any rule or order made thereunder in Kannada Language published under the authority of the Governor shall be deemed to be the authoritative text thereof in the Kannada Language. Hence the Bill.

An Act to provide for the adoption of Kannada as the language to be used for the official purposes of the State and for continuance of the use of English for transaction of business of the State Legislature. Whereas, it is expedient to provide for the adoption of Kannada as the language to be used for official purposes of the State of Karnataka and for continuance of the use of English for transaction of business of the State Legislature after the expiration of the period of fifteen years from the commencement of the Constitution; Be it enacted by the Karnataka State Legislature in the Fourteenth Year of the Republic of India as follows.

Section 1 Short title and extent

(1) This Act may be called the Karnataka Official Language Act, 1963.

(2) It extends to the whole of the State of Karnataka.

Section 2 Kannada to be the official language of the State

The official language of the State of Karnataka shall be Kannada.

Section 3 English to be continued to be used for official purposes until the Government otherwise directs

Notwithstanding anything in Section 2 and without prejudice to the provisions of Articles 346 and 347 of the Constitution, the English language shall continue to be used for all the official purposes of the State for which it was being used before the commencement of this Act until the State Government, by notification under Section 4, otherwise directs in respect of any official purpose specified in such notification.

Section 4 Government's power to notify the official purposes for which Kannada to be used

The State Government may, from time to time; by notification in the Official Gazette, direct that Kannada shall be used in respect of such official purposes and in such areas as may be specified in the notification.

Section 5 Languages to be used in the Legislature, etc.

11. Substituted for the heading "Continuance of English for use in Legislature" by Act No. 6 of 1982, w.e.f. 9-3-1982 22. Section 5 renumbered as sub-section (1) thereof by Act No. 6 of 1982, w.e.f. 9-3-1982

[(1)] Notwithstanding the expiration of the period of fifteen years from the commencement of the Constitution, the English language may, as from the Twenty-sixth day of January, 1965, continue to be used, in addition to Kannada and Hindi for the transaction of business in the Legislature of the State.

33. Sub-section (2) inserted by Act No. 6 of 1982, w.e.f. 9-3-1982 (2) Kannada Language may also be used.

(a) in any Bill to be introduced or in amendments thereto to be moved in, or in any Act passed by the Karnataka State Legislature; or

(b) in any Ordinance promulgated by the Governor of the State of Karnataka; or

(c) in any order, rule, regulation or bye-law issued by the State Government under the Constitution or under any law made by the Parliament or the Karnataka State Legislature.]

Section 5A Authorised Kannada translation of Central and State Acts

44. Section 5-A inserted by Act No. 27 of 1974 With effect from such date as the State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify a translation in the Kannada language published under the authority of the Governor in the Official Gazette.

(i) of any Central Act or of any Ordinance promulgated by the President with respect to any of the matters enumerated in List III of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution or of any State Act or of any Ordinance or rules made by the Governor; or

(ii) of any order, rule, regulation or bye-law issued by the State Government or other authority or officer of the State Government under the Constitution or under any Central Act or any State Act or any other law in force in the State, shall be deemed to be the authoritative text thereof in the Kannada language.]

Section 6 Notifications issued under Section 4 to be placed before the Legislature

Every notification issued under Section 4, shall be laid as soon as may be after it is issued, before each House of the State Legislature while it is in session for a total period of thirty days which may be comprised in one session or in two successive sessions and if, before the expiry of the session in which it is so laid or the session immediately following, both Houses agree in making any modification in the notification or both Houses agree that the notification should not be issued, the notification shall thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be; so however, that any modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that notification.