The Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020.
THE JAMMU AND KASHMIR OFFICIAL LANGUAGES ACT, 2020

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ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

SECTIONS

1. Short title, extent and commencement.
2. Definitions.
3. Official languages of Union territory.
4. Promotion and development of regional languages.


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THE JAMMU AND KASHMIR OFFICIAL LANGUAGES ACT, 2020

ACT NO. 23 OF 2020

[26th September, 2020.]

An Act to provide for the languages to be used for the official purposes of the Union

territory of Jammu and Kashmir and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

BE it enacted by Parliament in the Seventy-first Year of the Republic of India as follows:—

**1. Short title, extent and commencement.—(1) This Act may be called the Jammu and**

Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020.

(2) It extends to the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

(3) It shall come into force on such date[1] as the Central Government may, by

notification in the Official Gazette, appoint:

Provided that the Administrator may appoint different dates for different areas in the

Union territory.

**2. Definitions.— In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—**

(a) “Administrator” means the Lieutenant Governor of the Union territory of Jammu

and Kashmir appointed by the President under article 239 of the Constitution;

(b) “Union territory” means the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

**3. Official languages of Union territory.—With effect from such date as the**

Administrator may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint in this behalf, the
Kashmiri, Dogri, Urdu, Hindi and English languages shall be the official languages to be
used for all or any of the official purposes of the Union territory:

Provided that the English language may continue to be used, for those administrative and

legislative purposes, in the Union territory for which it was being used before the
commencement of this Act:

Provided further that the business in the Legislative Assembly of the Union territory shall

be transacted in the official language or languages of the Union territory.

**4. Promotion and development of regional languages.— (1) The Administrator may, for**

the promotion and development of regional languages of the Union territory, take necessary
steps to strengthen the existing institutional mechanisms such as the Academy of Art, Culture
and languages in the Union territory.

(2) The institutional mechanisms referred to in sub-section (1) shall make special efforts

for the promotion and development of Gojri, Pahari and Punjabi languages.

1. 29th September, 2020, _vide notification No. S.O. 3394(E), dated 29th September, 2020_ _see_ Gazette of India,
Extraordinary, Part II, sec. 3 (ii).


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