The PUNJAB OFFICIAL LANGUAGE ACT, 1967

GOVERNMENT OF PUNJAB DEPARTMENT OF LEGAL AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS THE PUNJAB OFFICIAL LANGUAGE ACT, 1967 (PUNJAB ACT 5 OF 1967) (As amended upto the 31st October, 2025) 2025 THE PUNJAB OFFICIAL LANGUAGE ACT, 1967 Sections CONTENTS 1. Short title, extent and commencement 2. Definitions 3. Punjabi to be official language of the State 3-A. Use of Punjabi in Courts and Tribunals 3-B. Use of Punjabi in the offices of State Government and public sector undertakings etc. 4. Government’s powers to notify the official purposes for which Punjabi shall be used 5. Languages to be used in the Bills etc 6. Continuance of use of English language in State Legislature 6-A. Authorised Punjabi translation of Central and State Acts, etc. 7. Right of a person to submit representation in any of the language used in the State 8. Development of Hindi Language 8-A. Power to inspect 8-B. State Level Empowered Committee 8-C. District Level Empowered Committee 8-D. Punishment 9. Repeal of Punjab Act No. 28 of 1960 1THE PUNJAB OFFICIAL LANGUAGE ACT, 1967 (Punjab Act No. 5 of 1967) [Received the assent of the Governor of Punjab on the 29th December, 1967, and was first published for general information in the Punjab Government Gazette (Extraordinary), Legislative Supplement, dated the 29th December, 1967.] 1 2 3 4 Year No. Short title Whether repealed or otherwise affected by the legislation 1967 5 The Punjab 2Amended by Punjab Act Official Language No. 11 of 1969 Act, 1967 Amended by Adaptation of Laws Order, 1970 Amended by Punjab Act No. 12 of 1982 Amended by Punjab Act No. 27 of 2008 Amended by Punjab Act No. 11 of 2022 An Act to provide for the adoption of Punjabi as the language to be used for all or any of the official purposes of the State of Punjab. BE it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Punjab in the Eighteenth Year of the Republic of India as follows: - 1. (1) This Act may be called the Punjab Official Language Short title, extent and commencement. Act, 1967. (2) It extends to the whole of the State of Punjab. (3) It shall come into force at once. 2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires - Definitions. (a) "Punjabi" means Punjabi in Gurmukhi script; 1 For Statement of Objects and Reasons, see Punjab Government Gazette (Extraordinary), 1967, Page 962-63. 2 For Statement of Objects and Reasons, see Punjab Government Gazette (Extraordinary), 1969, Page 578. (b) "State Government" means the Government of the State of Punjab. 3. The official language of the State of Punjab shall be Punjabi. Punjabi to be official language of the State. Use of Punjabi in 1[3-A. (1) In all civil courts and criminal courts, subordinate to the Courts and High Court of Punjab and Haryana, all revenue courts and rent Tribunals. tribunals, constituted by the State Government, work in such courts and tribunal shall be done in Punjabi. Explanation. - For the purpose of this section, the words ‘civil court’ and ‘criminal court’ shall have the same meaning as respectively, assigned to them in the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, and the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. (2) The concerned Administrative Department of the State Government, shall make arrangements to provide necessary infrastructure and training to the concerned staff, in order to ensure the use of Punjabi in all courts and tribunals, referred to in sub- section (1), within a period of six months from the date of commencement of the Punjabi Official Language (Amendment) Act, 2008. 3-B. In all offices of the State Government, public sectors Use of Punjabi in the offices of State undertakings, boards and local bodies and offices of the schools, Government and public sector undertakings etc. colleges and universities of the State Government, all official correspondence shall be made in Punjabi.] 4. This State Government may, from time to time, by Government's power to notify the official purposes for which notification, direct that Punjabi shall be used for such official Punjabi shall be used. purposes of the State and from such date as may be notified in the notification. 1 Inserted by Punjab Act No. 27 of 2008, Section 2 5. On and from such date as the State Government may, by Language to be used in the Bills etc. notification appoint in this behalf, the language to be used in - (a) all Bills to be introduced, or amendments thereto to be moved, in 1[***] the Legislature of the State, (b) all Acts passed by the Legislature of the State, (c) all Ordinances promulgated by the Governor under article 213 of the Constitution, and (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 Punjabi: Provided that the State Government may appoint different dates in respect of any of the purposes referred to in clauses (a) to (d) above. 6. Until the Government otherwise directs by notification under Continuance of use of English language in State Legislature. section 4, English may continue to be used, in addition to the official language of the State or Hindi for the transaction of business in the Legislature of the State. 2[6-A. A translation in Punjabi published under the authority of Authorised Punjabi translation of the Governor in the Official Gazette of the State, on and after the Central & State Acts, etc. date specified by notification; (a) 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; 1 The words “either House of” omitted by the Adaptation of Punjab Laws Order, 1970. 2 Inserted by Punjab Act No. 11 of 1969, Section 2 1[(aa) of any Central Act enacted before the commencement of the Constitution, with respect to any of the matters enumerated in List II of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution; (aaa) of any Central Act passed under Article 252 of the Constitution]; (b) of any State Act or of any Ordinance promulgated by the Governor; or (c) of any order, rule, regulation or bye-law issued by the State Government under the Constitution or under any law made by Parliament or the Legislature of the State; shall be deemed to be an authoritative text thereof in Punjabi.] 7. Nothing in this Act shall be deemed to debar any person to Right of a person to submit representation in submit a representation for the redress of any grievance to any any of the languages used in the State. officer or authority of the State in any of the languages, including Hindi used in the State. 8. Without prejudice to the provisions of this Act, the State Development of Hindi language. Government shall take suitable steps to develop the Hindi language in the State. 2[8-A. The Director, Languages, Punjab or any of his officers, Power to inspect. authorized by him, may inspect any office of the State Government, public sector undertaking, board or corporation, and office of any school, college or university of the State Government, to ensure the implementation of the provisions of sections 3 and 3-B of this Act. The officer or official having custody of the records of the aforesaid offices, shall make such record available, to the said Director or officer for inspection. 1 Inserted by Punjab Act No. 12 of 1982, Section 2 2 Inserted by Punjab Act No. 27 of 2008, Section 3 State Level 8-B. (1) There shall be constituted a State Level Empowered Empowered Committee to review and ensure the implementation of the Committee. provisions of this Act at the State Level. (2) The State Level Empowered Committee shall consist of the following persons, namely: - (i) the Education Minister, Punjab; …Chairman (ii) the Media Advisor to Chief …Member Minister, Punjab or any other person, to be nominated by the Chief Minister; (iii) Advocate General, Punjab or his …Member representative; (iv) the Secretary to Government of …Member Punjab, Department of School Education; (v) the Secretary to Government of …Member Punjab, Department of Higher Education; (vi) the Legal Remembrancer and …Member Secretary to Government of Punjab; (vii) two representatives of Sahit Sabhas …Members to be nominated by the Government; (viii) three renowned persons, associated …Members with Punjabi Press, to be nominated by the State Government; (ix) four representatives of the public, to …Members be nominated by the State Government; and (x) the Director, Languages, Punjab. …Convener (3) The State Level Empowered Committee may give such directions to the District Level Empowered Committee for implementing the provisions of this Act, as it may deem appropriate. (4) The State Level Empowered Committee shall meet at least once in six months. 8-C. (1) There shall be constituted a District Level Empowered District Level Empowered Committee to review and ensure the implementation of the Committee. provisions of this Act at the District level. (2) The District Level Empowered Committee shall consist of the following, namely: - (i) A Minister or Member of …Chairman the Legislative Assembly of the district, to be nominated by the Chief Minister; (ii) the Deputy Commissioner; …Vice- Chairman (iii) the District Education …Member Officer; (iv) two representatives of …Members Punjabi Sahityakars in the district, to be nominated by the State Government; (v) three persons, associated …Members with Punjabi Press, to be nominated by the State Government; (vi) the District Public …Member Relations Officer; (vii) two representatives of the …Members public, to be nominated by the State Government; (viii) the District Attorney; and …Member (ix) the District Language …Convener Officer. (3) The District Level Empowered Committee shall review the implementation of the provisions of this Act, in all offices of the State Government, public sector undertakings, boards and local bodies and offices of the schools, colleges and universities of the State Government at the District Level, and shall send a report to the State Level Empowered Committee. (4) The District Level Empowered Committee shall comply with the directions given by the State Level Empowered Committee with regard to the implementations of the provisions of this Act and shall report back about the compliance of such directions. (5) The District Level Empowered Committee shall meet at once in two months. Punishment. 8-D. (1) If any officer or official of the aforesaid offices is found guilty of persistently violating the provisions of this Act or the notification issued thereunder, he shall be liable for disciplinary action under the Punjab Civil Services (Punishment and Appeal) Rules, 1970. (2) Action against the guilty officer or official, referred to in sub-section (1), shall be taken by the concerned competent authority, on the basis of the recommendation made by the Director, Languages, Punjab: Provided that before taking any disciplinary action, the officer or official concerned, shall be afforded an opportunity of being heard.] 1[(3) If any officer or official violates the provisions of this Act or the notification issued thereunder, the Director, Languages finds this prima facie case and upon issuance of show cause notice, if the reply filed by the officer or official is not satisfactory, then he shall be liable to fine of rupees five hundred for the first time and if he finds guilty for the second time, he shall be liable to fine upto rupees two thousand and if he finds guilty for the third time, he shall be liable for fine upto rupees five thousand. Such fine shall be recovered by the concerned Drawing and Disbursing Officer from the salary of the concerned officer or official: Provided that before recovering such fine, the concerned officer or official, shall be given an opportunity of being heard.] 9. The Punjab Official Languages Act, 1960, is hereby repealed. Repeal of Punjab Act No. 28 of 1960. 1 Added by Punjab Act No. 11 of 2022, Section 2