HIMACHAL PRADESH OFFICIAL LANGUAGE ACT, 1975

Preamble 1 - THE HIMACHAL PRADESH OFFICIAL LANGUAGE ACT, 1975

THE HIMACHAL PRADESH OFFICIAL LANGUAGE ACT, 1975

[Act No. 1 of 1975][1]

[ 21st February, 1975]

PREAMBLE

An Act to provide for the adoption of Hindi as the language to be used for all or any of the official purposes of the State of Himachal Pradesh.

Be it enacted by the Legislative Assembly of Himachal Pradesh in the Twenty-sixth Year of the Republic of India as follows:-

 

Section 1 - Short title, extent and commencement

(1)     This Act may be called the Himachal Pradesh Official Language Act, 1975.

 

(2)     It extends to the whole of the State of Himachal Pradesh.

 

(3)     It shall be deemed to have come into force with effect from the 1st January, 1975.

 

Section 2 - Definitions

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires.-

(a)      "Hindi" means Hindi in Devanagari script ;

 

(b)      "State Government? means the Government of Himachal Pradesh.

 

Section 3 - Hindi to be official language of the State

The official language of the State of Himachal Pradesh shall be Hindi.

 

Section 4 - Government's power to notify the official purposes for which Hindi shall be used

The State Government may, from time to time by notification, direct that Hindi shall be used for such official purposes of the State and from such date as may be specified in the notification.

 

Section 5 - Language to be used in the Bills, etc.

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 the House of 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 for the time being in force in the State ;

shall be Hindi:

Provided that the State Government may appoint different dates in respect of any of the purposes referred to in clauses (a) to (d) above.

 

Section 6 - Continuation of the use of English in State Legislature

Until the State Government otherwise directs by notification under section 4, English may continue to be used, in addition to the official language of the State for the transaction of business in the Legislature of the State.

 

Section 7 - Right of a person to submit representation in any of the languages used in the State

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 other language, used in the State.

Section 8 - Repeal and Saving

(1)     The Punjab Official Language Act, 1960, 28 of 1960 in its application to the areas added to Himachal Pradesh under section 5 of the Punjab Re-organisation Act, 1966 (31 of 1966) and the Himachal Pradesh Languages (Bills and Acts) Act, 1952 (2 of 1953) as in force in the areas comprised in Himachal Pradesh immediately before Ist November, 1966 are hereby repealed.

 

(2)     The repeal by this Act shall not affect anything done or any action taken in the exercise of any power conferred by or under the repealed Acts or any events which have been caused from the operation of the repealed Acts.