LexThe PUNJAB OFFICIAL LANGUAGE ACT, 1967
Punjab · state statute
Open in Lexace · Ask the AI about this actGOVERNMENT 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Year No. Short title Whether repealed or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
Official Language
Act, 1967
2Amended by Punjab Act
No. 11 of 1969
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
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 -
(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.
Short title, extent and
commencement.
Definitions.
(b) "State Government" means the Government of the
State of Punjab.
3. The official language of the State of Punjab shall be Punjabi.
1[3-A. (1) In all civil courts and criminal courts, subordinate to the
High Court of Punjab and Haryana, all revenue courts and rent
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 m onths from the date of
commencement of the Punjabi Official Language (Amendment) Act,
2008.
3-B. In all offices of the State Government, public sectors
undertakings, boards and local bodies and offices of the schools,
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
notification, direct that Punjabi shall be used for such official
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
Punjabi to be official
language of the State.
Government's power
to notify the official
purposes for which
Punjabi shall be
used.
Use of Punjabi in
Courts and
Tribunals.
Use of Punjabi in the
offices of State
Government and public
sector undertakings etc.
5. On and from such date as the State Government may, by
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
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
the Governor in the Official Gazette of the State, on and after the
date specified by notification;
(a) of any Central Act or of any Ordinance promulgated by
the Presiden t, 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
Language to be used
in the Bills etc.
Continuance of use
of English language
in State Legislature.
Authorised Punjabi
translation of
Central & State
Acts, etc.
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
submit a representation for the redress of any grievance to any
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
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,
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
Right of a person to
submit representation in
any of the languages
used in the State.
Development of
Hindi language.
Power to inspect.
8-B. (1) There shall be constituted a State Level Empowered
Committee to review and ensure the implementation of the
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
Minister, Punjab or any other
person, to be nominated by the
Chief Minister;
…Member
(iii) Advocate General, Punjab or his
representative;
…Member
(iv) the Secretary to Government of
Punjab, Department of Sch ool
Education;
…Member
(v) the Secretary to Government of
Punjab, Department of Higher
Education;
…Member
(vi) the Legal Remembrancer and
Secretary to Government of Punjab;
…Member
(vii) two representatives of Sahit Sabhas
to be nominated by the Government;
…Members
(viii) three renowned persons, associated
with Punjabi Press, to be nominated
by the State Government;
…Members
(ix) four representatives of the public, to
be nominated by the State
Government; and
…Members
(x) the Director, Languages, Punjab. …Convener
State Level
Empowered
Committee.
(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
Committee to review and ensure the implementation of the
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
the Legislative Assembly
of the district, to be
nominated by the Chief
Minister;
…Chairman
(ii) the Deputy Commissioner; …Vice-
Chairman
(iii) the District Education
Officer;
…Member
(iv) two representatives of
Punjabi Sahityakars in the
district, to be nominated by
the State Government;
…Members
(v) three persons, associated
with Punjabi Press, to be
nominated by the State
Government;
…Members
(vi) the District Public
Relations Officer;
…Member
District Level
Empowered
Committee.
(vii) two representatives of the
public, to be nominated by
the State Government;
…Members
(viii) the District Attorney; and …Member
(ix) the District Language
Officer.
…Convener
(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.
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:
Punishment.
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 satisfact ory, 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 rupee s 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.
1 Added by Punjab Act No. 11 of 2022, Section 2
Repeal of Punjab Act
No. 28 of 1960.