LexThe Telangana Official Languages Act, 1966.
Telangana · state statute
Open in Lexace · Ask the AI about this actTHE 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 call ed the 2Telangana 3[Official
Languages] Act, 1966.
(2) It extends to the whole of the 2State of Telangana.
4[2. In the whole of the State of Telangana,-
(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
notification in the 2Telangana Gazette, direct that the
5[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) 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, receive d 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.
Short title and
extent.
Government’s
power to notify
the official
purposes for
which [Telugu
and Urdu] to be
used.
Official
Languages of the
State.
2 [Act No. 9 of 1966]
the Stat e 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 Consti tution and in all
the Regulations made by him under paragraph 5 of the Fifth
Schedule to the Constitution;
(ii) in a ll 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.
4. 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
6. Substituted by Act No.20 of 1996.
7. Inserted by Act No. 19 of 1989.
8. Substituted by Act No.19 of 1989.
Continuance of
English language
for certain official
purposes of the
State and for use
in the Legislature.
[Act No.9 of 1966] 3
(ii) the English language may continue to be used for
the transac tion of the business in the Legislature of the
State.
5. (1) The State Government shall, at the expiration of five
years from the commencement o f this Act, by order
constitute a commission on 9[Official Languages] of the
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 pro cedure 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.
Commission on
[Official
Languages].
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.
6. (1) A transla tion in the 11[Telugu and Urdu languages]
published under the authority of the Governor in the
12Telangana 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
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.
Authorised Telugu
translation of
Central and State
Acts, etc.
[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, an d 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 sa me in the
English Language.
7. The State Government may, from time to time, by
notification in the 15Telangana 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 lang uages, in such areas and for such official
purposes of the State and for such periods, as may be
specified to the in the notification.
8. (1) The State Government may by notificati on in the
15Telangana Gazette, make rules for carrying out all or any
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.
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.
Power to make
rules.
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
9. The Andhra Pradesh State Legislature (Continuance of
the English Language) Act, 1964, is hereby repealed.
* * *
Repeal of Andhra
Pradesh Act 16 of
1964