MAHARASHTRA ACT No. XIV OF 2021

Maharashtra Act No. XIV of 2021

16th July 2021

An Act further to amend the Maharashtra Official Languages Act, 1964. WHEREAS it is expedient further to amend the Maharashtra Official Languages Act, 1964, for the purposes hereinafter appearing; it is hereby enacted in the Seventy-second Year of the Republic of India, as follows :-

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S.1 Short title

This Act may be called the Maharashtra Official Languages (Amendment) Act, 2021.

S.2 Amendment of section 2 of Mah. V of 1965

In section 2 of the Maharashtra Official Languages Act, 1964 (hereinafter referred to as “the principal Act”),—

• (a) after clause (b), the following clause shall be inserted, namely :—
  "(b-1) “District Marathi Language Committee” means a District Marathi Language Committee constituted in each district under section 5D;";
• (b) after clause (c), the following clauses shall be added, namely :—
  "(d) “Marathi Language Officer” means an officer designated as the Marathi Language Officer under sub-section (1) of section 5B;
  (e) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules ;
  (f) “State Government” means the Government of Maharashtra ;
  (g) “State Marathi Language Committee” means the State Marathi Language Committee constituted under section 5C.".

S.3 Amendment of section 4 of Mah. V of 1965

Section 4 of the principal Act shall be renumbered as sub-section (1) thereof; and after sub-section (1), as so renumbered, the following sub-section shall be added, namely :—

"(2) All official purposes under sub-section (1) includes the following namely :—

• (a) all internal affairs or business of all offices of the State Government;
• (b) all communication and correspondence to be made with the public in the State by all offices of the State Government;
• (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, invitation cards, letter-heads or any other orders or documents pertaining to public interface and public interest to be issued by any office of the State Government;
• (d) all administrative and other reports a
  

S.4 Insertion of new sections 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, 5E, 5F, 5G, 5H and 5I in Mah. V of 1965

After section 5 of the principal Act, the following sections shall be inserted, namely :—

S.5A Provisions for effective implementation of this Act

Every office of the State Government, including offices subordinate and under administrative control of each Department of Mantralaya, shall make suitable provisions in its policies pertaining to public interface and public interest for use of Marathi for effective implementation of the provisions of this Act.

S.5B Designation of Marathi Language Officer

(1) Every office of the State Government 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 or complaints pertaining to non-use of Marathi in 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.

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

S.5C Constitution of State Marathi Language Committee

(1) There shall be a State Marathi Language Committee to exercise the powers conferred on and to discharge the functions assigned to it under this Act.

(2) The State Marathi Language Committee shall consist of the following members, namely :—

• (i) Minister, Marathi Language - Chairperson;
• (ii) State Minister, Marathi Language - Vice-Chairperson;
• (iii) Chief Secretary, Government of Maharashtra - Vice-Chairperson;
• (iv) Additional Chief Secretary (Services), General Administration Department - Member;
• (v) Secretary, Marathi Language Department - Member;
• (vi) Secretary, School Education Department - Member;
• (vii) Secretary, Urban Development Department - Member;
• (viii) Secretary, Revenue Department - Member;
• (ix) Deputy Secretary, Marathi Language Department - Member-Secretary.

(3) The State Marathi Language Committee may invite experts from various fields, as it may deems fit, fro

S.5D Constitution of District Marathi Language Committee

(1) The District Collector of each district shall constitute a District Marathi Language Committee in the District to exercise the powers conferred on and to discharge the functions assigned to it under this Act.

(2) The District Marathi Language Committee shall consist of the following members, namely :—

• (i) District Collector - Chairperson;
• (ii) Municipal Commissioner - Member;
• (iii) Superintendent of Police - Member;
• (iv) Chief Executive Officer (Zilla Parishad) - Member;
• (v) District Education Officer - Member;
• (vi) Two representatives amongst the persons residing in the district from the field of the Marathi language, arts, performing arts, literature, culture or publications to be nominated by the District Collector - Member;
• (vii) Two representatives of the non-Government institutions, organizations, movements or forums working in the district in the field of the Marathi language, arts, performing arts
  

S.5E Powers and functions of District Marathi Language Committee

(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 State Government in the District for effective implementation of the provisions of this Act and the rules made thereunder;
• (b) enquire into and redress the grievances or complaints pertaining to non-use of Marathi for official purposes 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 or grievances under this Act from all offices of the State Government in the District;
• (d) enquire into and resolve the complaints or grievances regarding implementation of this Act and dispose them in an expeditious manner;
• (e) direct the concerned office of the State Government to comply with the provisions of this Act, if found violating any of the provisions of
  

S.5F Proactive disclosure about use of Marathi

Each office of the State Government shall proactively publish on its website or any other electronic mode or any other mode of communication which are easily accessible to the public that Marathi is being used in all official purposes, other than excepted purposes under this Act and rules made thereunder.

S.5G Responsibility of implementation and compliance

The administrative Head or Head of the Department or Head of the office or Controlling Officer of the office of the State Government 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, the 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.

S.5H Power of Government to give directions

The State Government may issue such directions or instructions to all offices of the State Government as may be necessary for effective implementation of the provisions of this Act and the rules made thereunder.

S.5I Punishment

The Disciplinary Authority shall on receipt of complaint or grievance regarding non-implementation of the provisions of this Act, initiate disciplinary action against the concerned Government servant under the Maharashtra Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1979 or any other service rules or regulations as applicable to him, if found necessary. The Disciplinary Authority shall submit a report regarding such disciplinary action taken by it to the State Marathi Language Committee and District Marathi Language Committee.