The Odisha Official Language Act, 1954

The Odisha Gazette

EXTRAORDINARY PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY No. Date : 30th March 1954

Orissa Act No. 14 of 1954

*THE ORISSA OFFICIAL LANGUAGE ACT, 1954

[Received the assent of the President on the 24th March 1954, first published in an extraordinary issue of the Orissa Gazette, dated the 30 March 1954 ]

ANACT TO DECLARETHE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF THE STATE OF ORISSA

WHEREAS it is expedient to provide for the adoption of Oriya as the language to be used for all or any of the official purposes of the State of Orissa;

It is hereby enacted by the Legislature of the State of Orissa in the Filth year of the Republic of India as follows :

(1) This Act may be called the Orissa Official LanguageAct, 1954.

1. (2) It extends to the whole of State of Orissa.
2. (3) It shall come into force at once.

(1) Without prejudice to the provisions of Articles 346 and 347 of the Constitution, Oriya shall be the language to be used for all or any of the official purposes of the State of Orissa : 1[Provided that where Oriya shall be used as the language for official purposes the Oriya numerals shall not be used and Internal form of Indian numerals shall be used.] (2) The State Government may, by notification, direct that in any specified area and with affect from any specified date Oriya shall be used in respect of such official purposes as may be specified in the notification.

1[Provided that where Oriya shall be used as the language for official purposes the Oriya numerals shall not be used and Internal form of Indian numerals shall be used.]

1. (2) The State Government may, by notification, direct that in any specified area and with affect from any specified date Oriya shall be used in respect of such official purposes as may be specified in the notification.

On and form such date as the State Government may, by notification, appoint in this behalf, the language to be used in- Published in Orissa Gazette, Extraordinary dated, 30.03.1954.

1. Added vide Orissa Act 12 of 1985

1. (a) all Bills to be introduced or amendments thereto to be moved in Orissa LegislativeAssembly;
2. (b) all Acts passed by the State Legislature;
3. (c) all Ordinances promulgated by the Governor under Article 213 of the Constitution; and
4. (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 Oriya : Provided that the State Government may appoint different dates in respect of any of the items referred to in Clauses (a) to (d) above.

Notwithstanding the expiration of the period of fifteen years from the commencement of the Constitution of India, the English language may, as from the 26th day of January, 1965, continue to be used, in addition to Oriya for the transaction of business in Legislature of the State of Orissa.]

Government may, within such period, in such manner and by such authority, as may be prescribed in the rules made under thisAct, review and monitor whether the direction contained in the notification issued under sub-section (2) of section

2 has been effectively implemented.]

¹ Inserted vide Orissa Act 18 of 1963

² Inserted vide Odisha Gazette Ext. No. 1785, dated 06.10.2016