Features of official Language Act

The Union’s official language would be Hindi in Devanagari script. Furthermore, under Article 345, a state’s legislature may choose any several of the state’s official languages, particularly Hindi, as the language. for example, to use for all or portions of the state’s official functions.

Official Language – Constitutional Provisions

• The Indian Constitution designates Hindi (in Devanagari Script) as the official language of the union; nonetheless, the Constitution says that English will continue to be used for all official purposes of the Union until January 25, 1965. This is mostly due to the fact that total replacement by Hindi wasn’t really predicted in such a short period of time. As a result, English, along with Hindi, was designated as an associated official language.
• Article 343(1) of our constitution expressly states that “Hindi in Devanagari script will be the main language of the Union, and the international form of Indian numbers shall be used for official purposes.”
• There are 22 languages recognized in the Indian constitution’s eighth schedule (Originally 14 languages were stated).
• There is no requirement for the state to select a language from the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. • For the time being, English would be the specific aspects between the Union and the states or between several states.
• Any two or more states may agree to communicate in Hindi (rather than English) (Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar are interactive in Hindi among themselves).

Chief Justice of India Sharad A. Bobde has stated that the government should explore modifying the Official Languages Act of 1963 to incorporate additional vernacular languages in administration rather than simply Hindi and English.

Background:

The court was hearing an appeal filed by the Union of India contesting the legitimacy of a June 30 Delhi High Court verdict ordering the translation of the draft Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) declaration for 2020 into all 22 vernacular languages included in the Constitution’s Eighth Schedule.

Short title and Commencement –

This Act may be referred to as the Official Languages Act of 1963.

Section 3 shall take effect on January 26, 1965, and the subsequent provisions of this Act shall take full effect on such day as the Central Government may, by notification in the Gazette, appoint, and various dates may be set for different sections of this Act.

1.Continued use of the English language for Union official activities and in Parliament- 

• Notwithstanding the expiry of the period of fifteen years from of the commencement of the Constitution, the English language may, as of the appointed day, continue to be used in addition to Hindi, 

2. for all legal purposes of the Union about which it was being used directly before that day; and

3. for the transaction of business in Parliament:

Provided, however, that now the English language will be utilised for communications between both the Union and a state that has not chosen Hindi as its primary language.

Furthermore, if Hindi is used for communication between one state that has chosen Hindi as its official language and then another state that has not accepted Hindi as its official language, any communications in Hindi must be accompanied with an English translation:

Provided, however, that nothing in this subsection shall be construed as trying to prevent a State that has not embraced Hindi as its primary language from using Hindi for communicative purposes with the Union or with a State that has accepted Hindi as its dominant language, or by contract with any other State, and in such a case, it shall not be mandatory to use the English language for communicative purposes with that State.

• Notwithstanding anything in sub-section (1), where Hindi or the English Language is used for communication:

1. between one Department or Agency or office of the Central Government and another;
2. among one Department or Agency or office of the Central Government and any corporate entity or company owned or operated by the Central Government or any headquarters thereof.
3. between the Central Government or any of its agencies and any firm or business owned and controlled by the Central Government and any of its offices and another,

Translation of such communication in English or, as the situation may be, in Hindi shall be provided until the personnel of the relevant Ministry, Department, office, corporation, or business has developed a working knowledge of Hindi.

• Notwithstanding anything in sub-section (1), both Hindi and English shall be used for- 

1. agreements, general commands, guidelines, alerts, organisational or other reports or press communiques approved or made by the Central Government or a Ministry, Department, or office thereof, or by a corporation owned or operated by the Central Government or any agency of such corporation or company;
2. administrative and other findings and official documents handed before a House of Parliament; 
3. terms and conditions implemented, as well as licences, authorizations, notices, and tender forms issued, by or on behalf of the Central Government or any Ministry, Agency, or office thereof, or by a company or corporation owned or controlled by the Central Government or any office of such corporation or company.

Conclusion:

The Official Languages Act (1969) is the federal act that established English and French as Canada’s main languages. It mandates that all federal entities provide services in either English or French upon request.