The Tamil Nadu Official Language Act, 1956

1. (1) This Act may be called the Tamil Nadu Official Language Act, 1956.
2. (2) It extends to the whole of the State of Tamil Nadu.

The official language of the State of Tamil Nadu shall be Tamil.

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 direct in respect of any official purpose specified in such notification.

The State Government may, by notification issued from time to time, direct that Tamil shall be used in respect of such official purposes as may be specified in the notification.

A. Notwithstanding anything contained in sections 2, 3 and 4 of this Act or in the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (Central Act V of 1908) or in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (Central Act 2 of 1974), Tamil shall be the language of all—

1. (i) civil and criminal courts subordinate to the High Court;
2. (ii) tribunals; and
3. (iii) rent courts and revenue courts, for the purpose of recording evidence in all proceedings: Provided that the Presiding officer of any such court or tribunal may, in recording evidence in Tamil, employ English words and phrases, wherever he feels necessary, to bring out the exact purport and meaning: Provided further that the High Court may, by general or special order, permit—
4. (i) any class of Presiding Officers of civil or criminal courts, or tribunals, or
5. (ii) any Presiding Officer of any such court or tribunal, to record evidence in English in such circumstances and for such period as may be specified in such order: Provided also that the Board of Revenue may, by general or special order, permit—
6. (i) any class of Presiding Officers of rent courts or revenue courts, or
7. (ii) any Presiding Officer of any such court, to record evidence in English in such circumstances and for such period as may be specified in such order. Explanation.—In this section and in section 4-B, "rent court" or "revenue court" shall mean any court presided over by an officer of the Revenue Department.

B.

1. (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in sections 2, 3 and 4 of this Act or in the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (Central Act V of 1908) or in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (Central Act 2 of 1974), and subject to the provisions of sub-section (2), Tamil shall be the language of all—
   • (i) civil courts subordinate to the High Court;
   • (ii) criminal courts subordinate to the High Court;
   • (iii) tribunals; and
   • (iv) rent courts and revenue courts, for the purpose of writing judgments, decrees and orders: Provided that the Presiding Officer of any such court or tribunal may, in writing judgments, decrees and orders in Tamil, employ English words and phrases, wherever he feels necessary, to bring out the exact purport and meaning: Provided further that the High Court may, by general or special order, permit—
   • (i) any class of Presiding Officers of civil or criminal courts, or tribunals, or
   • (ii) any Presiding Officer of any such court or tribunal, to write judgments, decrees and orders in English in such circumstances and for such period as may be specified in such order: Provided also that the Board of Revenue may, by general or special order, permit—
   • (i) any class of Presiding Officers of rent courts or revenue courts, or
   • (ii) any Presiding Officer of any such court, to write judgments and orders in English in such circumstances and for such period as may be specified in such order.
2. (2) The provisions of sub-section
3. (1) shall come into force on such date as the State Government may, by notification, appoint and different dates may be appointed in respect of—
   • (i) civil courts subordinate to the High Court;
   • (ii) criminal courts subordinate to the High Court;
   • (iii) tribunals; and
   • (iv) rent courts and revenue courts.

The language to be used—

1. (i) in Bills introduced in, or amendments thereto to be moved in, or Acts passed by, the Legislature of the State of Tamil Nadu,
2. (ii) in Ordinances promulgated under Article 213 of the Constitution,
3. (iii) in 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 Tamil in and from such date as the State Government may, by notification, appoint:

Notifications issued under sections 4 and 5 to be placed before the Legislature All notifications issued under sections 4 and 5 shall, as soon as possible after they are issued, be placed on the table of both the Houses of the State Legislature and shall be subject to such modifications by way of amendments or repeal as the Legislative Assembly may make within fourteen days on which the House actually sits either in the same session or in more than one session.