The Telangana Official Languages Act, 1966

THE TELANGANA OFFICIAL LANGUAGES ACT, 1966. (ACT NO. 9 OF 1966)

(1) This Act may be called the Telangana Official Languages Act, 1966. (2) It extends to the whole of the State of Telangana.

(1) The State Government may, from time to time by notification in the Telangana Gazette, direct that the Telugu and Urdu languages shall be used for such official purposes of the State and from such dates as may be specified in the notification. (2) The Languages to be used- (i) (a) in all Bills to be introduced or amendments thereto to be moved, in either House of the Legislature of the State and in all Acts passed by the Legislature of the State; (b) in all Ordinances promulgated by the Governor of the State under article 213 of the Constitution and in all the Regulations made by him under paragraph 5 of the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution; (ii) in all orders, rules, regulations and bye-laws issued by the State Government or other authority or officer of the State Government under the Constitution or under any law made by Parliament or the Legislature of the State; shall be the Telugu and Urdu languages on and from such date as the State Government may, by notification in the Telangana Gazette, specify: (iii) in all correspondence between the State Government and any Corporation or Company owned or controlled by the State Government or any office thereof and in all orders, proceedings, bye-laws and regulations issued by such Corporation or Company: Provided that the State Government may specify different dates in respect of different items in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) of this sub-section.

Until the State Government otherwise direct by notification under section 3- (i) the English language shall continue to be used for those official purposes within the State for which it was being used immediately before the commencement of this Act; and (ii) the English language may continue to be used for the transaction of the business in the Legislature of the State.

(1) The State Government shall, at the expiration of five years from the commencement of this Act, by order constitute a commission on Official Languages of the State which shall consist of a Chairman and four other members of whom one shall be proficient in Urdu Language to be appointed by the State Government and the order shall define the procedure to be followed by the Commission. (2) It shall be the duty of the Commission to review the progress made in the use of the Telugu and Urdu Languages for the official purposes of the State and to make recommendations to the State Government as to- (a) the progressive use of the Telugu and Urdu Languages for the official purposes of the State; (b) restrictions on the use of the English language for all or any of the official purposes of the State; (c) any other matter referred to the Commission by the State Government as regards the use of the Telugu and Urdu Languages. (3) The Commission shall submit a report with its recommendations on the matters referred to in sub-section (2) to the State Government, who shall cause the report to be laid before each House of the State Legislature. (4) The State Government may after consideration of the recommendations in the report so made by the commission, issue directions in accordance with the whole or any part of that report.

(1) A translation in the Telugu and Urdu languages published under the authority of the Governor in the Telangana Gazette on and after the date specified by notification- (i) in respect of clause (i) of sub-section (2) of section 3, 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 Regulation made by the Governor, or of any other law in force in the State; or (ii) in respect of clause (ii) of sub-section (2) of section 3, 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 Telugu and Urdu languages. (iii) in respect of clause (iii) of sub-section (2) of section 3 of any order, proceeding, bye-law or regulation issued by any Corporation or Company owned or controlled by the State Government or any office thereof. (2) Where the State Government have issued a notification under clause (i) (a) of sub-section (2) of section 3 specifying a date from which the Telugu and Urdu languages shall be used in all Bills introduced in, and amendments thereto to be moved in, and Acts passed by, the State Legislature, the authoritative text in the Telugu and Urdu languages of all such Bills which amend Acts which are in English, to be introduced or amendments thereto to be moved in either House of the State Legislature shall be accompanied by a translation of the same in the English Language.

The State Government may, from time to time, by notification in the Telangana Gazette, direct the use of Urdu or any other language or languages in addition to the Telugu language, in the interests of persons speaking such language or languages, in such areas and for such official purposes of the State and for such periods, as may be specified to the in the notification.

The Andhra Pradesh State Legislature (Continuance of the English Language) Act, 1964, is hereby repealed.