Official language or languages of a State
Article 345 — Official language or languages of a State
provisions of articles 346 and 347, the Legislature of a State may by law adopt any one or more of the languages in use in the State or Hindi as the language or languages to be used for all or any of the official purposes of that State: Provided that, until the Legislature of the State otherwise provides by law, 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 Constitution.
Plain English Summary
This article allows the law-making body (Legislature) of a State to decide which language(s)—either local languages or Hindi—will be used for official business in that State. However, until the State specifically decides otherwise through a law, English will remain the official language for those purposes.
Key Points
- The State Legislature can adopt any language currently used in the State or Hindi as the official language(s) for official purposes.
- This power is exercised by making a law.
- Until such a law is made, English continues to be used for official purposes in the State as it was before the Constitution came into effect.
Why It Matters
This article gives states the flexibility to use languages familiar to their local population for administration and governance, balancing national language requirements with regional linguistic diversity.
Landmark Judgements
No major landmark judgements.