English for Union Official Purposes

English is legally authorised for the Union’s official work, alongside Hindi. The Constitution designates Hindi in the Devanagari script as the Union’s official language, while providing for the initial use of English and empowering Parliament to continue it by law. English’s continued use rests principally on the Official Languages Act, 1963.

Constitutional framework

• Article 343(1) declares Hindi in the Devanagari script to be the Union’s official language; it specifies the international form of Indian numerals for official purposes.
• Article 343(2) provided for English to continue for all Union official purposes for which it was previously used, for 15 years from the Constitution’s commencement.
• Article 343(3) empowers Parliament to provide by law for the use of English after that period for purposes specified in the law.

Statutory continuation of English

Section 3 of the Official Languages Act, 1963 permits English to continue from 26 January 1965, in addition to Hindi, for the Union’s official purposes and parliamentary business.

• Its continuation has no fixed expiry date; the Act prescribes conditions for discontinuing the uses of English covered by Section 3(5).
• The Act requires both Hindi and English for specified official documents, including resolutions, general orders and rules issued by the Central Government.

Parliamentary and judicial uses

• Article 120 permits parliamentary business to be transacted in Hindi or English, subject to Article 348.
• Article 348 prescribes English for Supreme Court and High Court proceedings and authoritative legislative texts, subject to constitutional and statutory exceptions.
• Official use must be distinguished from national-language status: the Constitution does not designate any language as India’s national language.