The Telangana Official Languages Act, 1966

THE TELANGANA OFFICIAL LANGUAGES ACT, 1966. (ACT NO. 9 OF 1966) ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS Sections 1. Short title and extent. 2. Official Languages of the State. 3. Government’s power to notify the official purpose for which Telugu and Urdu to be used. 4. Continuance of English language for certain official purposes of the State and for use in the Legislature. 5. Commission on Official Languages. 6. Authorised Telugu translation of Central and State Acts, etc. 7. Special provision relating to the use of Urdu or any other language or languages, in addition to the Telugu language, in certain areas of the State for such official purposes and for such periods as may be specified by notification. 8. Power to make rules. 9. Repeal of Andhra Pradesh Act 16 of 1964. THE TELANGANA OFFICIAL LANGUAGES ACT, 1966.1 ACT No. 9 OF 1966. 1. (1) This Act may be called the 2Telangana 3[Official Short title and Languages] Act, 1966. extent. (2) It extends to the whole of the 2State of Telangana. 4[2. In the whole of the State of Telangana,- Official Languages of the State. (a) The Telugu Language shall be the Official Language; and (b) the Urdu Language shall be the Second Official Language.] 3. (1) The State Government may, from time to time by Government’s notification in the 2Telangana Gazette, direct that the power to notify the official 5[Telugu and Urdu languages] shall be used for such official purposes for purposes of the State and from such dates as may be which [Telugu specified in the notification. and Urdu] to be used. (2) 5[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 1. The Andhra Pradesh Official Languages Act, 1966, received the assent of the Governor on 13.05.1966. The said Act in force in the combined State, as on 02.06.2014, has been adapted to the State of Telangana, under section 101 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 (Central Act 6 of 2014) vide. the Telangana Adaptation of Laws Order, 2016, issued in G.O.Ms.No.45, Law (F) Department, dated 01.06.2016. 2. Substituted by G.O.Ms.No.45, Law (F) Department, dated 01.06.2016. 3. Substituted by Act No.20 of 1996. 4. Substituted by Act No.30 of 2017. 5. Substituted in the marginal heading by Act No.20 of 1996. 2 [Act No. 9 of 1966] 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 6[Telugu and Urdu languages] on and from such date as the State Government may, by notification in the Telangana Gazette, specify: 7[(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 8[clauses (i), (ii) and (iii)] of this sub-section. Continuance of 4. Until the State Government otherwise direct by English language notification under section 3- for certain official purposes of the (i) the English language shall continue to be used for State and for use in the Legislature. those official purposes within the State for which it was being used immediately before the commencement of this Act; and 6. Substituted by Act No.20 of 1996. 7. Inserted by Act No. 19 of 1989. 8. Substituted by Act No.19 of 1989. [Act No.9 of 1966] 3 (ii) the English language may continue to be used for the transaction of the business in the Legislature of the State. 5. (1) The State Government shall, at the expiration of five Commission on years from the commencement of this Act, by order [Official constitute a commission on 9[Official Languages] of the Languages]. State which shall consist of a Chairman and four other members 10[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 9[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 9[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 9[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. 9. Substituted including in the marginal heading by Act No.20 of 1996. 10. Inserted by Act No.20 of 1996. 4 [Act No. 9 of 1966] (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. Authorised Telugu 6. (1) A translation in the 11[Telugu and Urdu languages] translation of published under the authority of the Governor in the Central and State 12Telangana Gazette on and after the date specified by Acts, etc. 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 11[Telugu and Urdu languages]. or 13[(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.] 11. Substituted by Act No. 20 of 1996. 12. Substituted by G.O.Ms.No.45, Law (F) Department, dated 01.06.2016. 13. Inserted by Act No.19 of 1989. [Act No.9 of 1966] 5 (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 14[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 14[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. 7. The State Government may, from time to time, by Special provision notification in the 15Telangana Gazette, direct the use of relating to the use of Urdu or any Urdu or any other language or languages in addition to the other language or Telugu language, in the interests of persons speaking such languages, in language or languages, in such areas and for such official addition to the purposes of the State and for such periods, as may be Telugu language, specified to the in the notification. in certain areas of the State for such official purposes and for such periods as may be specified by notification. 8. (1) The State Government may by notification in the Power to make 15Telangana Gazette, make rules for carrying out all or any rules. of the purposes of this Act. (2) Every notification issued or rule made under this Act shall immediately after it is issued or made, be laid before each House of the State Legislature if it is in session, and if it is not in session, in the session immediately following for a total period of fourteen days which may be comprised in one session or in two successive sessions, and if, before the 14. Substituted by Act 20 of 1996. 15. Substituted by G.O.Ms.No.45, Law (F) Department, dated 01.06.2016. 6 [Act No. 9 of 1966] expiration of the session in which it is so laid or the session immediately following, both Houses agree in making any modification in the notification or rule or in the annulment of the notification or rule, the notification or rule shall thereafter have effect only in such modified form or shall stand annulled, as the case may be, so however that any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that notification or rule Repeal of Andhra 9. The Andhra Pradesh State Legislature (Continuance of Pradesh Act 16 of the English Language) Act, 1964, is hereby repealed. 1964 * * *