
 State of Kerala - Act
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 Kerala Official Languages Act, 1969
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 KERALA
   
 India
 
 Kerala Official Languages Act, 1969
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 Act 7 of 1969
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* Published on 1 January 1969
* Commenced on 1 January 1969
 Kerala Official Languages Act, 1969
 
 (Act
 7 of 1969 
 )
 
 Last Updated 29th November, 2019
 
 [An Act to provide for the adoption of Malayalam and English as the languages to be used for the official purposes of the State of Kerala]
 
 [Substituted by Kerala Official Language (Legislation)  Amendment Act, 1973 (Act 15 of 1973)]
 
 [Whereas it is expedient to provide for the adoption of Malayalam and English as the languages to be used for the official purposes of the State of Kerala and to provide for the adoption of Malayalam also as a language to be used in Bills introduced in, or Acts passed by, the Legislature of the State of Kerala or in Ordinances promulgated by the Governor or in subordinate legislation.]
 
 [Substituted by Kerala Official Language (Legislation)  Amendment Act, 1973 (Act 15 of 1973)]
 
 Be it enacted in the Nineteenth Year of the Republic of India as follows:
 
### 1. Short title and commencement.
 - [(1)  This Act may be called the Kerala Official Languages Act, 1969.]
 
 [Substituted by Kerala Official Language (Legislation)  Amendment Act, 1973 (Act 15 of 1973)]
 
### 1A. [ Malayalam and English to be the official languages of the State.
 
 [Inserted by Kerala Official Language (Legislation)  Amendment Act, 1973 (Act 15 of 1973).]
 
 - Without prejudice to the provisions of articles 346 and 347 of the Constitution, Malayalam and English shall be the languages to be used for all or any of the official purposes of the State.
### 1B. Government's power to notify the official purposes for which Malayalam or English to be used. - The Government may, by notification issued from time to time, direct that Malayalam or English shall be used in respect of such official purposes as may be specified in the notification.
### 1C. Notification issued under section 1B to be placed before the Legislative Assembly. - Every notification issued under section 1B shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is issued, before the Legislative Assembly, while it is in session for a total period of fourteen days which may be comprised in one session, or in two successive session, and if, before the expiry of the session in which it is so laid or the session immediately following, the Legislative Assembly makes any modification in the notification or decides that the notification should not be issued, the notification shall thereafter 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 under that notification.]
(2) It shall come into force at once.
 
### 2. Language to be used in Bills, etc.
 - The language to be used in-
 
(1) Bills to be introduced or amendment thereto to be moved in the Legislative Assembly of the State of Kerala;
 
(2) Acts passed by the Legislature of the State of Kerala;
 
(3) Ordinances promulgated by the Governor under article 213 of the Constitution; and
 
(4) Orders, rules, regulations and bye-laws issued by the Government under the Constitution or under any law made by Parliament or the Legislature of the State of Kerala;
 
 shall be Malayalam or English.
 
### 3. [ Special provisions in respect of linguistic minorities.
 
 [Inserted by Kerala Official Language (Legislation)  Amendment Act, 1973 (Act 15 of 1973).]
 - Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, the following special provisions shall apply in respect of linguistic minorities in the State, namely:-
 
(a) The Tamil and Kannada minority people in the State may use their respective languages for their corespondence with the State Government in the Secretariat and the Heads of Departments and also with all the local offices of the State Government situtate in those areas which are declared by the Government to be linguistic minority areas for the purpose and the replies sent in such cases shall also be in their respective minority languages .
 
(b) The linguistic minorities other than Tamil and Kannada in the State may use the English language for their correspondence with the State Government offices and in such cases the replies sent to them shall be in the English language.]
 

