The Manipur Official Language Act, 1979

(1) This Act may be called the Manipur Official Language Act, 1979. (2) It extends to the whole of Manipur. (3) It 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 official purposes of Manipur.

In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context: (a) "Autonomous District" means an autonomous district referred to in sub-section (1) of section 3 of the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council Act, 1971; (b) "Commission" means the commission on official language constituted under sub-section (1) of section 4; (c) "Committee" means the committee of the Legislative Assembly, Manipur on official language constituted under sub-section (4) of section 4; (d) "Constitution" means the Constitution of India; (e) "Council" means a district council constituted under section 4 of the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council Act, 1971; and (f) "Manipuri Language" means Meiteilon written in Bengali Script and spoken by the majority of Manipur population.

(1) Subject to the provision of section 7, Manipuri language shall, on and from the commencement of this Act, be the language used in respect of all or any of the official purposes of the State. (2) The form of numerals to be used for the official purposes of the State shall be the international form of Indian numerals. (3) Notwithstanding anything in sub-section (1) for a period of fifteen years from the commencement of this Act the English Language shall continue to be used, for all the official purposes of the State Government, at the level of the Secretariat and such other Offices as may be specified from time to time in the official gazette, for which it was being used immediately before such commencement: Provided that the Governor may, during the said period, by order authorise the use of the Manipuri language in addition to the English language.

(1) The Governor shall, at the expiration of five years from such commencement, by order constitute a Commission which shall consist of a Chairman and such other members of the Legislative Assembly representing the different languages of the State as the Governor may appoint, and the order shall define the procedure to be followed by the Commission. (2) It shall be the duty of the Commission to make recommendations to the Governor as to— (a) the progressive use of the Manipuri language for the official purposes of the State; (b) restrictions on the use of the English for all or any of the official purposes of the State; (c) any other matter referred to the Commission by the Governor as regards the official language of the State and language for communication between the linguistic groups of the State. (3) In making their recommendations under sub-section (2) the Commission shall have due regard to the industrial, cultural and scientific advancement and the just claims and the interests of persons belonging to other linguistic groups of the State in regard to the public services. (4) There shall be constituted a Committee consisting of seven members of the Legislative Assembly to be elected by the Members of the House. (5) It shall be the duty of the Committee to examine the recommendations of the Commission constituted under sub-section (1) and to report to the Governor their opinion thereon. (6) Notwithstanding anything in Section 3, the Governor may, after consideration of the report referred to in sub-section (2), issue such directions in accordance with whole or any part of the report as may be within the purview of articles 345 & 348 of the Constitution.

The language for the time being authorised for use in the Union for official purposes shall be the language for communication between the State of Manipur and another State and between the State of Manipur and the Union.

(1) Subject to article 348 of the Constitution and notwithstanding anything contained in section 3 the language of— (i) all Bills to be introduced or amendments thereto to be moved in the State Legislative Assembly; (ii) all Acts passed by the State Legislature, and all Ordinances promulgated under article 213 of the Constitution; (iii) all orders, rules, regulation and bye-laws issued under the Constitution or any laws made by the State Legislature; shall be in English till Manipuri language is so provided by law: Provided that in case of conflict between the English and the Manipuri versions, the former shall prevail.

The language for the time being authorised for use in the State shall be the English language for communication between one district council and another district council and between the district councils and the State till such time the use thereof is permissible for the official purposes of the State: Provided that if any district council by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members present and voting decide and the State agrees that any language other than the English language shall be used for communication between the district council and the State, that language may be used for such communication if the decision to adopt such a language is covered by article 345 of the Constitution.

Notwithstanding anything contained in section 3, only the languages which are in use immediately before the commencement of this Act shall continue to be used for administrative and other official purposes upto and including the level of District Councils and Autonomous District wherever the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council Act, 1971 is in force until any District Council by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members present.

Notwithstanding anything contained in section 3, any examination held by the Manipur Public Service Commission which immediately before the commencement of this Act, used to be conducted in the English language, shall continue to be so conducted till such time, as the use thereof is permissible for the official purposes of the Union under any law made by the Parliament in this behalf: Provided that a candidate shall have the right to choose the language.

Subject to the provisions of this Act, the State Government may, by notification issued from time to time, direct the use of the languages as may be specified in the notification and in such part of the State as may be specified therein: Provided— (a) the rights of the various linguistic groups in respect of medium of instruction in educational institutions as laid down in the Constitution of India shall not be affected; (b) the State shall not, in granting aid to educational and cultural institutions, discriminate against any such institutions on the ground of language; (c) the rights to appointment in the Manipur Public Services and to contracts and other avocations shall be maintained without discrimination on the ground of language; and (d) in regard to noting in the offices in the Districts if any member of the staff is unable to note in any of the District language, the use of English shall be permitted by the Heads of Departments so long as the use thereof is permissible for official purposes of the Union under any law made by the Parliament in this behalf.

(1) The State Government may, by notification in the Manipur Gazette, make rules to carry out the purposes of this Act. (2) Every rule made under this Act shall be laid as soon as may be after it is made, before the Manipur Legislative Assembly while it is in session for a period of fourteen 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 sessions immediately following, the House agree in making any modification in the rule or the House agree that the rule should not be made, the rule shall thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect as the case may be; so however, that any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that rule.