In pursuance of clause (3) of article 348 of the Constitution of India, the following translation
in English of the Maharashtra Local Authorities (Official Languages) Act, 2022 (Mah. Act No. XXXI
of 2022), is hereby published under the authority of the Governor.

By order and in the name of the Governor of Maharashtra,

SATISH WAGHOLE,
I/c. Secretary (Legislation) to Government,
Law  and Judiciary Department.

——————————

MAHARASHTRA  ACT  No.  XXXI  OF  2022.

(First published, after having received the assent of the Governor
in the  “Maharashtra  Government Gazette”,  on  the  7th April  2022).

An  Act  to  provide  for  the  use  of  Marathi  language  for  the  official
purposes  of  the  local  authorities  in  the  State  of  Maharashtra.

WHEREAS  it  is  expedient  to  provide  for  the  use  of  Marathi
language  for  the  official  purposes  of  the  local  authorities  in  the
State  of  Maharashtra;  it  is  hereby  enacted  in  the  Seventy-third
Year  of  the  Republic  of  India  as  follows  :—

1.    This  Act  may  be  called  the  Maharashtra  Local  Authorities

Short title.

(Official  Languages)  Act,  2022.

2.    In  this  Act,  unless  the  context  requires  otherwise,–

Definitions.

(a)  “Appointing  Authority”  means  any  local  authority  or  any
officer  or  authority  thereof  who  has  powers  to  appoint  the
employees  in  any  Local  Authority  or  any  department  or  office
thereof  ;

(b)  “Disciplinary  Authority”  means  the  Authority  competent  to
impose  penalties  under  the  rules  or  regulations  relating  to
discipline  applicable  to  the  employees  ;

(c)  “District  Marathi  Language  Committee”  means  a  District
Marathi  Language  Committee  constituted  in  each  District
under  section  5D  of  the  Maharashtra  Official  Languages  Act,
1964  ;

(d)  “employee”  means  any  person  employed  as  an  employee
or  officer  in  the  office  of  the  Local  Authority  and  also  includes
persons  employed  on  contractual  basis;

(e)  “  Local  Authority  ”  means,–

(i)  Municipal  Corporation,  Municipal  Council,  Nagar
Panchayat,  Industrial  Township,  Zilla  Parishad,  Panchayat
Samiti,  Village  Panchayat,  any  other  Local  Self  Government
Authority  or  Planning  Authority  ;  or

(ii)  statutory  corporations,  Government  companies  or  any
authority  owned,  controlled  or  financed  by  the  State
Government;

(f)  “Marathi”  means  the  Marathi  language  in  Devnagari  script
which  is  adopted  in  the  State  under  the  Government  Resolutions
issued,  from  time  to  time  ;

(g)  “  Marathi    Language    Officer  ”  means  an  officer  designated

as  the  Marathi    Language    Officer  under  section  5  ;

(h)  “prescribed”  means  prescribed  by  rules;

(i)  “State  Government”  means  the  Government  of  Maharashtra;

(j)  “State  Marathi  Language  Committee”  means  a  State  Marathi
Language  Committee  constituted  under  section  5C  of  the
Maharashtra  Official  Languages  Act,  1964.

M a h .
V  of
1965.

Official
language of
Local
Authorities.

3.    (1)  The  official  language  of  all  the  Local  Authorities  in  the
State  of  Maharashtra  shall  be  Marathi.  Except  the  official  purposes
specified  in  sub-section  (2),  Marathi  shall  be  the  language  to  be
used for all official purposes as well as purposes related to the public
interface  and  public  interest  in  all  offices  of  the  Local  Authority,
including,–

(a)  all  internal  affairs  or  business  of  all  offices  of  the  Local

Authority  ;

(b)  all  communication  and  correspondence  to  be  made  with  the

public  in  the  State  by  the  office  of  the  Local  Authority;

(c)  all  noting,  drafting,  all  remarks,  comments  and  opinions
thereon,  manuals,  any  administrative  proceedings,  bye-laws,  all
types  of  notices,  any  administrative  work  and  business,  schemes,
programs,  policies, decisions, resolutions, administrative and other
reports,  press  releases, 
letter-heads,
communication  of  meetings,  minutes  of  meetings  or  any  other
documents  pertaining  to  public  interface  and  public  interest  to
be  issued  by  any  office  of  the  Local  Authority  ;

invitation  cards, 

(d)  any  license,  permit,  certificate,  tender  or  advertisement  to
be  given  or  issued  by  or  on  behalf  of  the  Local  Authority  or  any
Department  or  office  thereof  ;

(e)  all  standard  forms,  proformas  or  registers  to  be  used  or  any
other  documents  pertaining  to  the  public  interface  and  public
interest  in  the  office  of  the  Local  Authority  ;

¨É½þÉ®úÉ¹]Åõ ¶ÉÉºÉxÉ ®úÉVÉ{ÉjÉ +ºÉÉvÉÉ®úhÉ ¦ÉÉMÉ +É`ööú, BÊ|É±É 7ú, 2022/SÉèjÉ 17, ¶ÉEäò 1944

 3

(f)  all  sign  boards,  name  plates,  notice  boards  and  any  other
display  matters  pertaining  to  public  interface  and  public  interest
in  the  Local  Authority  or  any  Department  or  office  thereof  ;

(g) all stamps or seals to be used in offices of the Local Authority;

(h)  any  other  documents  or  services  to  be  provided  online  and
any  communication  pertaining  to  the  public  interface  and  public
interest  to  be  made  through  the  websites,  apps,  portals  and  any
other    electronic mode  of  communication by  any  office of  the  Local
Authority  ;

(i)    any  other  such  official  purposes  as  may  be  prescribed.

(2)  The  English  language  may  be  used  in,–

(i) communication  which  is  purely  technical  and  scientific  in

nature  ;

(ii) correspondence  with  the  Government  of  India  and  the
offices  under  it  including  Indian  embassies,  consular  offices  and
trade  commissions  ;

(iii) correspondence  with  any  other  State  Government  with
whom  there    is  no  agreement  as  referred  to  in  the  proviso  to
article  346  of  the  Constitution  of  India  ;

(iv) correspondence  with  foreign  embassies  or  consulates  ;

(v) accounts  to  be  rendered  to  the  Accountant  General  and

correspondence  with  the  Accountant  General;

(vi) all statements for legal opinions  and all  legal opinions, legal
briefs  and  conveyancing,  matters  connected  with  litigation  in  the
High  Court  and  Supreme  Court,  legal  compilations  and  law
examinations  ;

(vii) medical  prescriptions,  post  mortem  report  and  reports  in
medico-legal cases and such other technical matters in the Medical
Department  of  the  Local  authorities  ;

(viii) any  other  such  purposes  as  may  be  prescribed.

4.    Every  Local  Authority  shall  make  suitable  provisions  in  its
policies  pertaining  to  the  public  interface  and  public  interest  for
use  of  the  Marathi  for  effective  implementation  of  the  provisions
of  this  Act.

5.  (1) Every office of the Local Authority shall designate a suitable
officer  as  ‘Marathi  Language  Officer’  to  discharge  the  functions
assigned  to  him  under  this  Act.

(2)  The  Marathi  Language  Officer  shall  discharge  the  following

functions,  namely  :–

(a)  receive  the  grievances  pertaining  to  non-use    of  Marathi  for
official  purposes  and  implementation  of  the  provisions  of  this  Act
in  the  office  and  to  facilitate  for  its  effective  redressal;  and

(b)  to  take  steps  to  ensure  the  effective  implementation  of  the

provisions  of  this  Act  and  the  rules  made  thereunder.

¦ÉÉMÉ +É`ö-49---2

Provisions
in policy for
effective
implement-
tation of  this
Act.

Designation
of Marathi
Language
Officer.

4

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(3)  The  Head  of  the  office  and  any  other  officers  and  employees
in  the  office  shall  render  necessary  assistance  to  the  Marathi
Language  Officer  for  discharging  functions  assigned  to  him  under
this  Act.

Proactive
disclosure
about use of
Marathi.

6.    Each  office  of  the  Local  Authority  shall  proactively  publish  on
its  website  or  any  other  electronic  mode  or  any  other  modes  of
communication,  which  are  easily  accessible  to  the  public,  that
Marathi  is  being  used  for  all  official  purposes  as  well  as  purposes
related  to  the  public  interface  and  public  interest,  other  than
purposes  mentioned  in  sub-section  (2)  of  section  3.

Responsibi-
lity  of
implementa-
tion  and
compliance.

Powers and
functions of
District
Marathi
Language
Committee.

7.    The  administrative  Head  or  Head  of  the  Department  or  Head
of the office or  controlling officer of  the office of the Local Authority
shall  be  responsible  for,–

(a) effective  implementation  of  the  provisions  of  this  Act  and

the  rules  made  thereunder  ;

(b) compliance  of  all  directions  and  instructions  issued  by  the
District  Marathi  Language  Committee,  State  Marathi  Language
Committee  and  the  State  Government,  from  time  to  time;

(c) providing  all  necessary  facilities  and  services  for  effective
implementation  of  the  provisions  of  this  Act  and  the  rules  made
thereunder.

8.    (1)  The  District  Marathi  Language  Committee  shall  exercise
the  following  powers  and  discharge  the  following  functions,  namely  :–

(a) give  directions  to  all  offices  of  the  Local  Authority    in  the
District  for  effective  implementation  of  the  provisions  of  this  Act
and  the  rules  made  thereunder  ;

(b) enquire  into  and  redress  the  grievances  and  complaints
pertaining  to  non-use  of  Marathi  for  official  purposes  as  well  as
purposes  related  to  the  public  interface  and  public  interest  and
implementation  of  the  provisions  of  this  Act  and  the  rules  made
thereunder;

(c) call  and  receive  the  necessary  information,  records  and
reports  pertaining  to  complaints  and  grievances  under  this  Act
from  all  offices  of  the  Local  Authority  in  the  District;

(d) enquire  into  and  resolve  the  complaints  and  grievances
regarding  implementation  of  this  Act  and  dispose  of  them  in  an
expeditious  manner;

(e) direct  the  concerned  office  of  the  Local  Authority  to  comply
with  the  provisions  of  this  Act,  if  found  violating  any  of  the
provisions  of  this  Act  ;

(f) submit  an  annual  report  to  the  State  Marathi  Language
Committee  about  action  taken  by  it  in  discharge  of  its  functions
under  this  Act  alongwith  its  recommendations  with  regard  to  the
effective  implementation  of  the  provisions  of  this  Act.

(2)  The  offices  of  the  Local  Authority  shall  comply  with  the
directions  of  the  District  Marathi  Language  Committee  within  a
period  of  fifteen  days  from  the  receipt  thereof  and  forward  a
compliance  report  to  the  District  Marathi  Language  Committee.

¨É½þÉ®úÉ¹]Åõ ¶ÉÉºÉxÉ ®úÉVÉ{ÉjÉ +ºÉÉvÉÉ®úhÉ ¦ÉÉMÉ +É`ööú, BÊ|É±É 7ú, 2022/SÉèjÉ 17, ¶ÉEäò 1944

 5

9.  The State Government and State Marathi Language Committee
may  issue  such  directions  or  instructions  to  all  the  offices  of  the
Local  Authority  as  may  be  necessary  for  effective  implementation
of  the  provisions  of  this  Act  and  the  rules  made  thereunder.    The
offices  of  Local  Authority  shall  comply  with  the  directions  of  the
State  Government  and  State  Marathi  Language  Committee.

10.    The  Appointing  Authority  and  Disciplinary  Authority  shall
on receipt of  the complaint  or  grievance regarding  non-implementation
of  the  provisions  of  this  Act  and  the  rules  made  thereunder,  initiate
disciplinary  action  against  the  employee  of  the  concerned  Local
Authority  under  the  service  rules  or  regulations  as  applicable  to  him,
if  found  necessary.  The  Appointing  Authority  and  Disciplinary
Authority  shall  submit  a  report  regarding  such  disciplinary  action
taken  by  it  to  the  District  Marathi  Language  Committee.

Power  to give
directions.

Punishment.

11.    (1)  The  State  Government  may,  by  notification  in  the  Official

Gazette,  make  rules,  for  carrying  out  the  purposes  of  this  Act.

Power to
make rules.

(2)  Every  rule  made  under  this  Act  shall  be  laid,  as  soon  as  may
be,  after    it  is  made,  before  each  House  of  the  State  Legislature,
while  it  is  in  session  for  a  total  period  of  thirty  days,  which  may  be
comprised  in  one  session  or  in  two  or  more  successive  sessions,  and
if, before the expiry of the session in which it is so laid or the session
immediately following, both Houses agree in making any modification
in  rule  or  both  Houses  agree  that  the  rule  should  not  be  made,  and
notify  their  decision  to  that  effect  in  the  Official  Gazette,  the  rule
shall  from  the  date  of  publication  of  such  decision  in  the  Official
Gazette,  have  effect  only  in  such  modified  form  or  be  of  no  effect,
as  the  case  may  be;  so  however,  that  any  such  modification  or
annulment  shall  be  without  prejudice  to  the  validity  of  anything
previously  done  or  omitted  to  be  done  under  that  rule.

12.    (1)  If  any  difficulty  arises  in  giving  effect  to  the  provisions
of  this  Act,  the  State  Government  may,  as  occasion  arises,  by  an
order  published  in  the  Official  Gazette,  do  anything  not  inconsistent
with  the  provisions  of  this  Act,  which  appears  to  it  to  be  necessary
or  expedient  for  the  purposes  of  removing  the  difficulty:

Power to
remove
difficulties.

Provided  that,  no  such  order  shall  be  made  after  the  expiry  of
the  period  of  two  years  from  the  date  of  commencement  of  this  Act.

(2)  Every  order  made  under  sub-section  (1)  shall  be  laid,  as  soon
as  may  be,  after  it  is  made,  before  each  House  of  the  State
Legislature.

ON  BEHALF  OF  GOVERNMENT  PRINTING,  STATIONERY  AND  PUBLICATION,  PRINTED  AND  PUBLISHED  BY  DIRECTOR,
RUPENDRA DINESH MORE, PRINTED AT GOVERNMENT CENTRAL PRESS, 21-A, NETAJI SUBHASH ROAD, CHARNI ROAD,
MUMBAI  400  004  AND  PUBLISHED  AT  DIRECTORATE  OF  GOVERNMENT  PRINTING,  STATIONERY  AND  PUBLICATIONS,
21-A,  NETAJI  SUBHASH  ROAD,  CHARNI  ROAD,  MUMBAI  400  004.  EDITOR  :  DIRECTOR,  RUPENDRA  DINESH  MORE.

