No bar on use of any language along with Marathi on signboards for municipal councils: Bombay HC

Mumbai: The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has said there was no restriction on putting up signboards for municipal councils in any language along with the state's official language Marathi.

A division bench of Justices Avinash Gharote and M S Jawalkar on April 10 dismissed a petition seeking the removal of a signboard of the Patur Municipal Council displaying the civic body's name in Urdu along with Marathi.

"There is no prohibition on the use of any language, in addition to the official language," the court held.

The petition filed by one Varsha Bagde sought the court's direction to the chairman of the Akola District Marathi Language Committee to take immediate action against the use of Urdu on the signboard of the Patur Municipal Council.

Bagde cited that any language other than Marathi on the signboards of civic authorities was prohibited under the Maharashtra Local Authorities (Official Languages) Act, 2022.

The provisions of the Act would mean that only Marathi would be the official language and no other language is permitted, she said.

The court in its order said the provisions of the Act only ensure that the business and affairs of the council are conducted in Marathi, including the script.

"Insofar as the erection of signboard and display of the name of the municipal council is concerned, it does not prohibit the use of an additional language, to display the name, in addition to the name being displayed in Marathi," the high court said.

The use of additional language to display the name of the municipal council on its building would not indicate any violation of the Act, it held.